Residents urged to report problem areas

The poor quality of water ending up in streams, rivers and the ocean can be a result of contaminated stormwater from roofs, driveways and roads.

Council is starting work in the urban areas of Te Puke, Maketu¯, Little Waihı¯, Pukehina and Paengaroa and has drafted a plan to manage the discharge of stormwater.

Project engineer team leader Coral-Lee Ertel urges people to let council know if they have noticed any contamination in local streams, or eroding stream banks.

“Locals are the best source of information — as they may notice waterways deteriorating, or stream banks eroding — and it’s this type of feedback that will be very valuable to us.

“It is critical to make the discharge of stormwater into the environment as safe as possible — that’s what this management plan process is all about.”

Council is responsible for managing stormwater in its urban catchments and it is planning to do this through an integrated catchment management plan (CMP) approach. These management plans are already under way in the central and western urban catchments of mokoroa, Te Puna, Minden, Katikati and Waihı¯ Beach.

Council has prepared a draft plan for the eastern urban areas and this is out for public feedback until October 19.

The aim is to develop and continually improve the methods of stormwater discharge in to the environment.

The draft plan is available on the council website and at the Te Puke Library.

Feedback will help council include any new knowledge on different land use types (urban, or mix of land-use types) within the eastern catchments so that stormwater management can be improved.

This plan does not include any of the rural catchment in the eastern region, as this is the responsibility of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

There will be information on hand at the Maketu community market day on September 16 and at a drop-in information event at Te Puke LIbrary on September 20 from 5pm-7pm.