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Draft Inter-agency Protocol for Management of Arsenic in Groundwater |
Attachment 1 |
Meeting of the Hawke's Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee
Date: Wednesday 15 August 2018
Time: 10.00am
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Venue: |
Council Chamber Hawke's Bay Regional Council 159 Dalton Street NAPIER |
Agenda
Item Subject Page
1. Welcome/Notices/Apologies
2. Conflict of Interest Declarations
3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Hawke's Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee meeting held on 10 May 2018
4. Confirmation of Māori Representative Appointment 3
5. Jim Graham, Water New Zealand Environmental Scientist - Drinking Water Safety Presentation 5
6. Arsenic in Groundwater – Protocol for response 7
7. Update on HBRC TANK Plan Change Potential Drinking Water Safety Provisions 13
8. Joint Working Group Work Plan Update 15
Hawke's Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee
Wednesday 15 August 2018
Subject: Confirmation of Maori Representative Appointment
Reason for Report
1. To formally welcome the appointment of a representative of Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc to the Joint Committee.
Background
2. The Terms of Reference for the Joint Committee was written to purposefully enable the appointment of representatives of tangata whenua if and when iwi, treaty settlement entities or other Māori groups made the decision to participate.
3. Arising out of discussions at the Joint Working Group meetings, an invitation was extended to NKII for representation at the Governance Joint Committee, and Ngahiwi Tomoana appointed.
Decision Making Process
4. The Hawke’s Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee is required to make every decision in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded:
4.1. The decision does not significantly alter the service provision or affect a strategic asset.
4.2. The use of the special consultative procedure is not prescribed by legislation.
4.3. The decision is not inconsistent with an existing policy or plan.
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The Hawke’s Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee receives and formally accepts the appointment of Ngahiwi Tomoana to represent Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc. |
Authored by:
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Leeanne Hooper Principal Advisor Governance |
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Approved by:
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Liz Lambert Group Manager Regulation |
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Hawke's Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee
Wednesday 15 August 2018
Subject: Jim Graham, Water New Zealand Environmental Scientist - Drinking Water Safety Presentation
Introduction to presentation
1. Jim Graham is an environmental scientist and Water New Zealand's principal adviser on water quality. Jim has over 20 years’ experience in environmental science and environmental health science specialising in recreational and drinking-water quality. Previously, he has worked on the development and implementation of the New Zealand drinking-water strategy including the preparation of drinking-water standards, the legislative framework and leading the $150M drinking water supplies funding assistance programme.
2. Currently Jim works with water suppliers throughout New Zealand, assisting them in all aspects of providing safe community drinking water supplies. Jim presented to the 3 Waters conference facilitated by LGNZ, WaterNZ and IPWEA (Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia) earlier this year.
3. The presentation provides some reflections on land use and potential risks to drinking water. This may provide committee members further information as they consider first barrier protection measures, such as drinking water source protection zones.
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That the Hawke’s Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee receives and notes the “Drinking Water Safety” presentation by Jim Graham. |
Authored by:
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Rina Douglas Senior Planner |
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Approved by:
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Liz Lambert Group Manager Regulation |
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Hawke's Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee
Wednesday 15 August 2018
Subject: Arsenic in Groundwater – Protocol for response
Reason for Report
1. At the April meeting of the Joint Committee it was agreed that a protocol for responding to events involving arsenic contamination in groundwater used for self-supply drinking water would be developed to ensure coordination across agencies and consistency of messaging.
2. A sub-group of staff from HBDHB, HBRC, HDC, NCC and NKII have developed the attached draft protocol for consideration by the Joint Committee.
Discussion
3. There have been three incidents of high arsenic levels in drinking water supplies in the past two years that have been reported through to Council. In every case it has been determined that the source of the contamination is naturally occurring arsenic and ongoing advice has been given on that basis.
4. However there was some confusion among agencies over messaging about the health risk for people continuing to consume the water. The development of this protocol is designed to provide clarity around agreed actions and messaging.
5. The protocol is still formally in a draft stage because information is still being collated around treatment options and the use of water with high levels of arsenic for certain activities. These will be inserted in to the protocol upon receipt.
6. In the meantime feedback is sought from the Committee on the protocol. The Committee’s views are also sought on whether this could be the template for a broader communications strategy.
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That the Hawke’s Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee: 1. Receives and notes the “Arsenic in Groundwater – Protocol for Response” staff report. 2. Approves the adoption of the protocol, subject to any amendments agreed at the meeting and subject to the addition of any agreed outstanding information. |
Authored and Approved by:
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Liz Lambert Group Manager Regulation |
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⇩1 |
Draft Inter-agency Protocol for Management of Arsenic in Groundwater |
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Hawke's Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee
Wednesday 15 August 2018
Subject: Update on HBRC TANK Plan Change Potential Drinking Water Safety Provisions
Reason for Report
1. To update the Joint Committee on the recommendations made to the TANK collaborative stakeholder group on 27 July 2018.
Background
2. A collaboration developing a draft plan change for the TANK catchments (Tutaekuri, Ahuriri, Ngaruroro, Karamu) has been operating since 2012. The TANK stakeholder group will recommend a set of provisions including objectives, policies and rules for a plan change to the Regional Plan Committee at its next meeting. The draft plan will set freshwater quality and quantity objectives and address aspects such as stormwater, wetland management, sediment and nutrient loss, water augmentation and matauranga Māori.
3. Although the TANK Group has considered measures to protect surface water quality the group had not explicitly focused on measures to protect drinking water sources. This presented challenges due to tight timeframes for completion of the draft plan change.
4. Additionally, the second report of the Havelock North Drinking Water Inquiry dated December 2017 raised the issue of drinking water safety in the context of water quality. The Inquiry panel went on to observe that the TANK plan change would add to the understanding of drinking water source protection issues.
Development of policy and rules
5. At the February TANK meeting, the TANK group agreed that the JWG should be regarded as a TANK working group to be tasked with developing draft policies and rules for consideration. This recognises that the Havelock North Drinking Water Inquiry has dominated discussion around drinking water and has become the platform for the most comprehensive assessment of issues relating to drinking water.
6. Given the tight timeframes, the JWG decided to contract this work out to a suitably qualified individual/entity at its March meeting. After considering several potential candidates the decision was made to appoint Good Earth Matters on the basis of their existing knowledge of the RMA, drinking water issues and the Hawke’s Bay context. Good Earth matters undertook the following:
6.1. Assessment of the current regulatory framework, to consider gaps and opportunities. This includes a National Stocktake of drinking water policy.
6.2. Consideration of the use of Groundwater Capture Zones and Source Protection Zones.
6.3. Stocktake of risk activities within the TANK catchment.
6.4. Development of a framework and options for objectives, policies and rules to protect drinking water source.
7. Good Earth Matters has worked alongside the JWG and the TANK project team to refine proposals for TANK.
Summary of recommendations given to TANK
8. At the 27 July TANK meeting, the JWG presented the following recommendations to the TANK group.
8.1. A new objective be included to provide an explicit statement in the Regional Plan that recognises and provides for source protection zones
8.2. A new policy to support the above objective and policy and provide guidance as to how the objective was to be implemented.
8.3. Several changes to rules:
8.3.1. For activities that already require a resource consent, adding matters of control/ discretion that enable the risk of drinking water sources to be considered, where those activities are located in mapped source protection zones
8.3.2. Introducing consenting for activities located over source protection zones
8.3.3. Amendments to some existing Permitted Activity rules so that they meet the requirement of the National Environmental Standard for Sources of Human Drinking Water.
8.3.4. Production Land use in a source protection zone area to be a permitted activity as proposed by TANK, but Farm Environment Plans will need to include consultation with the water supply authority and identify measures to manage risks to drinking water sources.
9. The TANK group supported the recommendations subject to some technical refinement between the JWG, the TANK project team and GEM. This work will take place in the coming weeks, and will be discussed at the next JWG meeting of 24 August.
Decision Making Process
10. 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.
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That the Hawke’s Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee: 1. receives and notes the “Update on HBRC TANK Plan Change Potential Drinking Water Safety Provisions” staff report. 2. notes that the HBRC staff TANK project team and the Joint Working Group will continue to work together to incorporate the drinking water safety provisions into the draft plan change. |
Authored by:
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Rina Douglas Senior Planner |
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Approved by:
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Liz Lambert Group Manager Regulation |
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Hawke's Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee
Wednesday 15 August 2018
Subject: Joint Working Group Work Plan Update
Reason for Report
1. To provide an update to the Joint Committee on the Joint Working Group’s (JWG) work plan.
Background
2. The JWG monitors progress on its work through a Work Plan. The JWG has been systematically working this plan over the last 12-18 months. Therefore, some of the original actions arising from the Panel of Inquiry’s directions have been completed, and what remains is being continually monitored and updated.
3. At the last Joint Committee meeting (10 May 2018) the Committee directed the JWG to prioritise the actions. This has been done and the action plan updated accordingly.
4. Of importance to note is the TANK plan change, which has been the leading priority for the JWG. At the TANK meeting of 27 July the JWG presented recommendations to the TANK group regarding the inclusion of drinking water policies and rules (discussed in separate agenda item). The TANK group broadly accepted the recommendations subject to some technical refinement. In the coming weeks the TANK project team, the JWG and Good Earth Matters will work to finalise this.
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.
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That the Hawke’s Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee receives and notes the “Joint Working Group Work Plan Update” staff report and associated action plan. |
Authored by:
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Rina Douglas Senior Planner |
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Approved by:
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Liz Lambert Group Manager Regulation |
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Joint Working Group Work Plan |
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