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Water Services Act 2021

Standards, enforcement, and other matters - Monitoring and reporting on environmental performance of networks

145: Environmental performance measures and targets for networks

You could also call this:

"Checking how well water networks protect the environment"

Illustration for Water Services Act 2021

The Water Services Authority can create and share measures to check how well water networks are doing for the environment. They can also set targets for these networks to help keep the environment clean. You can think of these measures and targets like a report card for water networks. The Authority can look at things like what gets released into the air, water, or land, and how much energy is used. They can also check what happens to the waste that comes from wastewater, like biosolids. Sometimes, waste can get into the wastewater network from outside sources, like trade waste. The Authority can apply these measures and targets to all networks, or just to certain types of networks. However, they cannot apply them to just one network or operator. When the Authority is creating or changing these measures and targets, they must talk to network operators, regional councils, and other relevant people, following the rules set out in section 53(2) and (3). The Water Services Authority has to follow certain rules when making these decisions. They have to make sure they are being fair and listening to the right people. This helps keep our environment clean and safe.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS556288.

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Part 3Standards, enforcement, and other matters
Monitoring and reporting on environmental performance of networks

145Environmental performance measures and targets for networks

  1. The Water Services Authority may develop, publish, and maintain—

  2. environmental performance measures for networks; and
    1. environmental performance targets for networks.

      1. Environmental performance measures and targets for wastewater networks may include measures and targets that relate to—

      2. discharges to air, water, or land:
        1. biosolids and any other byproducts from wastewater:
          1. energy use:
            1. waste that is introduced by a third party into a wastewater network (for example, trade waste).

              1. Environmental performance measures and targets—

              2. may apply—
                1. to all networks and their operators; or
                  1. to classes of network and their operators; but
                  2. must not apply to an individual network or network operator.

                    1. When developing or amending an environmental performance measure or target, the Water Services Authority must consult network operators, regional councils, and any other person it considers appropriate in accordance with section 53(2) and (3).

                    Notes
                    • Section 145(1): amended, on , by section 111(2) of the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 (2025 No 43).
                    • Section 145(4): amended, on , by section 111(2) of the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 (2025 No 43).