Meeting of the Hawke's Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee
Date: Wednesday 4 September 2019
Time: 10.00am
|
Venue: |
Council Chamber Hawke's Bay Regional Council 159 Dalton Street NAPIER |
Agenda
Item Subject Page
Information or Performance Monitoring
7. Joint Working Group Activities Update 3
Hawke's Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee
Wednesday 04 September 2019
Subject: Joint Working Group Activities Update
Reason for Report
1. To provide an update on the Joint Working Group’s (JWG) activities and work plan. Late item to be posted following Joint Working Group meeting on 29 August 2019.
Background
2. The JWG has met three times since the last Governance committee meeting – on 7 May, 18 June (special meeting with Ministry of Health officials) and on 29 August.
3. The JWG continues to progress the priority actions in its work plan as follows.
3.1. Communications – the Arsenic Communications Protocol has been expanded to cover the management of communications on any contaminants in groundwater. Specific information on individual contaminants is attached as appendices. To date three arsenic exceedances have been dealt with. The protocol has now been finalized and adopted by the JWG.
3.2. A potential contaminant is Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) most commonly used in fire-fighting and for fire training purposes. Two potential areas of risk for groundwater within Hawkes’ Bay were identified as the Hawke’s Bay Airport and the Hastings Fire Station. In both instances testing for PFAS has found no detectible levels (in locations downstream of the Hastings Fire Station) and non-detectable to low level (below guidance values) in soil and sediment sampling at the Airport.
3.3. Each of the four territorial authorities has been invited to share their Water Safety Plans to the JWG for information and discussion. To date Napier City Council and Hastings District Council have presented their WSPs. CHBDC and WDC are scheduled to make their presentations in the coming months.
3.4. The Hawke’s Bay Drinking Water Assessor (DWA) has presented to the JWG on his annual implementation audit update. The high level findings from the audit are:
3.4.1. Working well:
3.4.1.1 Acceptance by drinking water suppliers of a new era in drinking water compliance
3.4.1.2 Significant improvement in ongoing communication between the suppliers and the DWA – more frequent and useful
3.4.1.3 Awareness of level of evidence required to be presented has improved
3.4.1.4 Better understanding of what the DWAs require
3.4.1.5 Councils are embracing findings and changing direction
3.4.2. Opportunities for further improvement:
3.4.2.1 Water Safety Plans need further refinement to reflect actual practice
3.4.2.2 Policies, procedures and records still need further improvement as evidence
3.4.2.3 Training and competence – especially critical for water treatment equipment
3.4.2.4 Old equipment not being tracked and linked to asset management controls.
3.5. TANK Plan Change – this has been reported in a separate item on this agenda.
3.6. Three Waters regulation – this has been reported on in a separate item on this agenda.
4. With the focus of the JWG now moving away from the urgent demands of Source Protection Zones for inclusion in the TANK Plan Change the focus is moving towards the development of a more integrated and collective work programme, involving the sharing of good practice, the potential for vocational training and continuing strong engagement across the entities.
Decision Making Process
5. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision making provisions do not apply.
|
That the Hawke’s Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee receives and notes the “Joint Working Group Activities Update” staff report. |
Authored by:
|
Liz Lambert Group Manager Regulation |
|
Approved by:
|
Liz Lambert Group Manager Regulation |
|