Consultation closed
Consultation on the Ōtākaro Avon Stormwater Management Plan has now closed. People were able to provide feedback from 21 February - 22 April 2024. You will be able to read their feedback and the staff recommendation once an agenda is available for the Council meeting, which we expect to be in May / June 2024.
Stormwater Management Plans (SMPs) outline how we can reduce contamination and progressively improve stormwater discharges.
This SMP is one of seven plans being prepared for the Ōpāwaho-Heathcote, Huritini-Halswell, Ihutai-Estuary and Coastal, Ōtūkaikino, Settlements of Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū-Banks Peninsula, Pūharakekenui-Styx and Ōtākaro-Avon catchments.
The catchment of the Ōtākaro-Avon River is approximately 8,900 hectares in area. Its headwaters are in Avonhead where springs emerge into streambeds from the unconfined aquifer beneath. The aquifer is fed mostly by seepage from the bed of the Waimakariri River and partly by rainfall to the west of the city.
The Ōtākaro Avon SMP has three key purposes:
- To meet the targets under the Environment Canterbury Comprehensive Stormwater Network Discharge Consent for reducing stormwater contaminants.
- To describe the ways stormwater discharges will be improved over time to meet environmental objectives.
- To discuss how flooding risks will be dealt with, if there are any.
Controlling the contaminants of stormwater
Click or tap below to see the potential sources of sediment, copper and zinc, which contaminate our stormwater:
Our goals for this catchment
What we're going to do
Stormwater from new development is usually managed in detention basins which both limit discharge increases and serve as treatment facilities. Based on modelling, environmental drivers and tangata whenua values, and considering best practicable options, the first six contaminant load reduction options below will be implemented in this catchment.
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Roof coating
All new residential roofs are expected to be coated (i.e. painted) or non-steel (normal practice)
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Biofilters
This SMP proposes to treat stormwater from four sub-catchments; Addington, Lower Riccarton, and Upper and Middle Dudley Creek. Addington and Lower Riccarton are to be treated via biofilters in which stormwater is pumped through natural media like bark and peat. Stormwater in Dudley Creek will be treated though wetlands in Cranford Basin.
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Pre-treatment
Stormwater generated from hardstanding areas within new industrial allotments to be pre-treated using an approved gross pollutant trap (GPT), vegetated swale or other proprietary pre-treatment device.
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Controls on development
Erosion and sediment control on development and construction sites (Section 12 Goal 1.3).
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Auditing high risk sites
Auditing high-risk industrial sites and working with occupiers to remediate contaminated stormwater discharges (Section 12 Goal 4.2 to 4.4).
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Community education
Working with community groups and the public to educate the community about the effects of and mitigation of stormwater contaminants, (Section 12 Goal 5.1).
