Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan 10 March 2006 14.4.2 Methods of Implementation Rules Rules identify circumstances in which resource consents will be required to commence or continue discharging domestic wastewater to land. All new on-site domestic wastewater discharges will require discharge permits. Policies 14.4.1.1.2 to 14.4.1.1.9 will assist the Council to determine the significance of the effects that the discharge could potentially create and therefore whether the discharge permit should be granted. Monitoring/ Compliance with the conditions of resource consents will be Enforcement monitored and enforcement action taken where necessary. Guidelines The Council has prepared guidelines to assist industry practitioners to assess the characteristics and constraints of any particular site relevant to the on-site management of domestic wastewater. Training The Council will establish an accreditation system for the design of on-site wastewater management systems, and practitioners will be required to hold such accreditation to submit on-site system designs to the Council. A pre-cursor to accreditation will be the completion of appropriate training courses in site and soil evaluation. Liaison The Council will establish a working group of industry practitioners in order to provide a forum to discuss issues associated with site investigation, and the design and installation of on-site wastewater management systems. This working group can consider particular issues and provide advice on ways in which current management can be improved. Investigations The Council will investigate the availability and practicality of alternative technologies for the management of on-site wastewater management systems and the potential to use these technologies in the Marlborough Sounds. Information There are a range of on-site wastewater management Sharing systems available. Some on-site systems are more suited to certain conditions than others, and the maintenance requirements also vary. The Council will share this information with homeowners. Standards The Council will use current standards to help assess the appropriateness of new on-site wastewater management systems through the resource consent process Plan rules allow the appropriateness of any new on-site wastewater management system to be assessed. This assessment is necessary to ensure that the domestic wastewater can be effectively contained and treated on-site, and adverse effects on the surrounding environment thereby avoided. Standards, such as AS/NZS 1546.1:1998, AS/NZS 1546.2:2001, AS/NZS 1546.3:2001 and AS/NZS 1547:2000, will assist this assessment process. 14 - 12