On-site Domestic Wastewater Treatment SystemPūnaha rāwekeweke wai para ki te kāinga

About wastewater

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has rules in place to safeguard the environment from any adverse effect from the discharge of treated domestic waste from on-site wastewater treatment systems. The need for an on-site wastewater discharge consent depends on your treatment system and your site.

On-site wastewater treatment systems include pit privies, septic tanks and more advanced systems such as secondary and tertiary treatment plants.

The Regional Council works with industry professionals to ensure the highest standard of care and service is provided for communities requiring on-site domestic wastewater treatment and that there is protection for the environment receiving these discharges. A reflection of this relationship is the Wastewater Accreditation Programme for systems, installers, servicers, and designers.

If you would like to know more about on-site domestic wastewater discharge consents, enquiries can be made to the Consents Advisor on 0800 108 838. If you hold consent you can also ask to talk with your Compliance Officer.

Wastewater Accreditation Programme

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council operates a Wastewater Accreditation Programme for on-site domestic wastewater systems and industry professionals.

The high quality of industry professionals in the Hawke’s Bay is acknowledged through the Wastewater Accreditation Programme. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has created a register of systems and professionals who have demonstrated the highest level of expertise and service. In order to reflect the high performance they must maintain, those on this register are supported by the Regional Council through cost savings and stream-lining in the resource consent and compliance processes.

If a resource consent is required and an accredited designer is used, then where possible the resource consent process will be stream-lined. If such a system is on a low-risk site then there is a reduced resource consent cost.

Consent holders with an on-site domestic wastewater treatment system type that is on the Councils accredited manufacturer list and is installed and maintained by an accredited installer/service provider will not be subject to routine compliance inspection fees.

The Regional Council has a register of designers, system types, installers and service providers that are accredited by the Regional Council. You can identify those on the register by the the Regional Council ‘approved’ stamp they have been provided.

Here are some examples of what the stamps look like: 

Compliance inspection fees

Consent holders with an on-site domestic wastewater treatment system type that is on the the Regional Council accredited list and is installed and maintained by an accredited installer/service person or company will not be subject to routine compliance inspection fees.

Consent holders with an on-site domestic wastewater treatment system type that is not on the Councils accredited manufacturer list and those with an accredited system that is not installed and maintained by an accredited installer/service person or company will be subject to annual compliance inspection fees as set by the annual plan.

Note that irrelevant of accreditation status of the system, the frequency of maintenance of the system must be as specified in the consent.

Accredited designers

To become an accredited designer each individual designer must first provide evidence to the Regional Council that they have had adequate knowledge, training and experience to provide a high level of system design appropriate to the system type and site.

Eligibility for accreditation is granted for industry professionals, who must attend a Regional Council wastewater training course (if one is available in that year) and complete an assessment. Accreditation is granted only to those who receive a ‘satisfactory’ grade for the assessment. If a Regional Council wastewater training course is not run in that year, applicants must provide details and evidence of other recognised on-site wastewater training they have completed.

Approved designers are audited by the Regional Council.

Industry professionals who are not currently on the register are able to apply during April of each year. Please contact a wastewater Consents Officer on 0800 108 838 for more details.

Accredited system types

The Regional Council supports the national on-site effluent treatment testing facility (OSET) at Rotorua. System types that have been tested at this facility and met secondary treatment levels as defined by AS/NZS 1547:2000 are accepted as accredited system types by the Council. 

Prior to the OSET facility being set up, the Regional Council carried out limited performance testing of systems. Some of these system types are also included as accredited system types.

Accredited installers

To become an accredited installer the company must first provide evidence to the Regional Council that they have had adequate knowledge, training and experience to install the nominated system. Installers are accredited to install particular system types.Accredited installers are audited by the Regional Council.

Accredited service providers

To become an accredited service provider the company must first provide evidence to the Regional Council that they have had adequate knowledge, training and experience to service the nominated system. Service providers are accredited to service particular system types. Accredited service providers are audited by the Regional Council.

Wastewater Accreditation Programme Register

You can find a list of accredited designers, accredited system types, accredited installers and accredited service providers in the Hawke’s Bay Region here.

Accreditation Programme Register