Severe Weather Integrated Response (Hawke's Bay Flood Works): Order in Council Feedback.

Water NZ is a national not-for-profit organisation which promotes the sustainable management and development of New Zealand’s three waters (drinking water, wastewater and stormwater). [...] There is a need to avoid new development, and supporting infrastructure, in high- risk areas. Water NZ understand that work to replace or rebuild damaged stop banks has already occurred. [...] The Order in Council is for new flood protection and river scheme works to provide protection and reduce risk for more than 900 properties. We note that any consents required will be processed as a controlled activity. [...] This means that the consent must be granted but will be subject to conditions to manage its environmental effects.2 Without seeing a draft Order in Council, Water NZ’s high-level comments to inform the policy intent are: • Floods are New Zealand’s most frequent and most significant natural hazard. [...] Climate change will exacerbate the risk that river flooding poses to communities and the natural environment. [...] It is vital that the process does not lead to unintended consequences to social and economic wellbeing or outcomes which see a worsening of the environment. [...] • We must avoid building or intensifying infrastructure provision in high hazard risk areas, for example, flood plains and coastal fringes. The Order should direct decision-makers to take into account national climate change risk assessments prepared under the Climate 1 Urban stormwater networks are managed by local authorities. Stormwater networks are complex, with most comprising a reticu [...] The policy intent of the Order in Council, must enable consenting for construction of flood protection works, whilst ensuring development in high risk areas is not desirable. [...] There is need to educate the community and build awareness of the residual risk remaining after stop banks, spillways and other infrastructure measures have been implemented. [...] Water in the current context of Lifeline Utilities includes drinking water, wastewater and stormwater.