Local councils play a critical role in ensuring the effective management of water infrastructure in the community. Water services drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater are essential for public health, environmental protection, and economic development. While these systems are often complex, understanding their fundamentals will help you make informed decisions that benefit your constituents and comply with New Zealand’s regulatory requirements.
The Role of a Councillor in Water Management
Depending on the structure of your water services whether through a Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO), in-house management, or another model you will have a range of responsibilities to ensure these services operate efficiently. Your role may include:
• Ensuring Safe Drinking Water: Councils must comply with New Zealand’s drinking water regulations, including the Water Services Act 2021, to provide clean and safe water to residents.
• Overseeing Wastewater Treatment: Proper treatment of wastewater is critical to prevent pollution and protect ecosystems. As a councillor, you may need to assess infrastructure upgrades and funding priorities.
• Managing Stormwater Systems: Effective stormwater management reduces flooding risks and safeguards water quality. Supporting green infrastructure initiatives, such as wetlands and permeable surfaces, can enhance resilience against climate change.
• Balancing Costs and Sustainability: Water infrastructure requires significant investment. Councillors must weigh the costs of maintenance, upgrades, and new projects while considering long-term sustainability and community affordability.
• Legal obligation to ratepayers under the Local Government Act (2002) to manage Council assets and the services they provide to a specified standard in a cost-effective manner. Councils are required, in order to support its financial plans and funding decisions, develops asset management plans (AMP's) that will provide the framework for the Council to manage its assets.
Understanding Water Infrastructure Basics
Drinking Water Treatment
Clean drinking water is achieved through a multi-step process tailored to local water sources. Common treatment steps include:
• Coagulation and Flocculation: Chemicals are added to bind contaminants together.
• Sedimentation: Particles settle out of the water.
• Filtration: Removes remaining impurities.
• Disinfection: Chlorine or ultraviolet light eliminates harmful microorganisms. These processes ensure water meets stringent health standards before reaching households and businesses.
Wastewater Treatment
Wastewater treatment ensures water can be safely returned to the environment. The key stages include:
• Primary Treatment: Removes large solids and debris.
• Secondary Treatment: Uses biological processes to break down organic matter.
• Tertiary Treatment: Further purifies water through chemical treatment, filtration, or UV disinfection. These processes help prevent environmental damage and protect public health.
Network Management
Network management ensures the reliable delivery of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services. It involves regular monitoring, maintenance, and repair of pipes, pumps, and storage facilities to prevent leaks, bursts, and service disruptions. Councils use asset management plans to guide investment and maintenance, balancing cost-effectiveness with service reliability. Advanced technologies and data analytics, such as water metering, can help detect issues early and support informed decision-making.
Stormwater Management
Stormwater runoff from urban activities, including roads and rooves can cause flooding and pollution of receiving environments if not properly managed. The stormwater system is composed of both a primary network of underground pipes and open watercourses and secondary network including overland flow paths where water is designed to flow when it rains.
Stormwater network has historically focused on protection against nuisance flooding, however modern approaches are increasingly recognising, that integrates the urban water cycle to address both water quantity and water quality issues and promotes a more resourceful use of water.
Traditional methods include pipes to remove rainfall as quickly as possible. While green infrastructure, such as rain gardens and permeable pavements, to naturally absorb, slow and filter water.
Stormwater network means a) infrastructure owned by, or operated by, for, or on behalf of a water service provider; and b) includes overland flow paths, watercourses and green infrastructure and c) overland flow paths and watercourse which are on private land.
Green infrastructure – means multifunctional, nature-based solutions and manufactured stormwater devices that deliver stormwater services by mimicking the natural water cycle, addressing both stormwater quantity and quality issues including reducing runoff and filtering out pollutants from stormwater.
Collaborating for Better Water Services
Councillors must work closely with engineers, water operators, scientists, and policymakers to ensure water systems are reliable and future proofed. Effective governance involves engaging with the community, advocating for necessary infrastructure investments, and ensuring compliance with national standards.