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Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025

Miscellaneous provisions - Compliance and enforcement - Infringement offences

270: Infringement offences

You could also call this:

"Breaking water rules can lead to fines or court"

Illustration for Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025

If you are alleged to have committed an infringement offence, you may be dealt with in two ways. You can be taken to court by filing a charging document under section 14 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011. Alternatively, you can be issued with an infringement notice under section 272.

If you are taken to court, the court does not need a District Court Judge or Registrar to agree to it, as stated in section 21(1)(a) of the Summary Proceedings Act 1957.

If you are found guilty of an offence that is an infringement offence in your region, section 375 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 will apply to you.

However, just because an offence is an infringement offence in one district, it does not mean it will be treated the same way in another district.

You can find more information about what happens if you are issued with an infringement notice in section 21 of the Summary Proceedings Act 1957.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1004843.

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269: Bylaw may provide for infringement offences, or

"Rules can be made for breaking water laws, with fines up to $1,000 for individuals."

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271: Who may issue infringement notices, or

"Who can give you a fine for breaking water rules?"

Part 5Miscellaneous provisions
Compliance and enforcement: Infringement offences

270Infringement offences

  1. A person who is alleged to have committed an infringement offence may—

  2. be proceeded against by filing a charging document under section 14 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011; or
    1. be issued with an infringement notice under section 272.

      1. Proceedings commenced in the way described in subsection (1)(a) do not require the leave of a District Court Judge or Registrar under section 21(1)(a) of the Summary Proceedings Act 1957.

      2. Section 375 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 applies to a defendant who is convicted of an offence under this Act that is specified to be an infringement offence in a water services bylaw that applies in the region in which the charging document is filed or the infringement notice is issued.

      3. However, the designation of an offence as an infringement offence in a water services bylaw that applies in a district does not have the effect that the offence must be treated as an infringement offence in any other district for the purposes of section 375 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011.

      4. See section 21 of the Summary Proceedings Act 1957 for the procedure that applies if an infringement notice is issued.