TAKING STORWMATER IN TO A NEW LEVEL Phil Jaggard, Dukessa Blackburn-Huettner

When became a unitary authority through the amalgamation of one regional council and seven territorial authorities, the management of stormwater in Auckland began its transformational journey. Following the initial creation of the Auckland Council Stormwater Unit (SWU) on 1 November 2010, the past four years has seen the SWU:

• Create the SWU’s vision of a ‘water sensitive community’

• Build awareness - Water Sensitive Approach

• Implement a structural realignment

• Align internal processes and procedures

• Consolidate data and information

• Working collaboratively with the suppliers in ‘the way we work’

• Align and repackage all major operational contracts

• Define roles and responsibilities with other council departments and Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) The SWU is a key contributor to the Auckland Council’s vision for Auckland being ‘the world's most liveable city’ and the transformational shifts identified in the Auckland Plan. While significant progress has been made by the SWU since integration, there are still a number of challenges and opportunities to take stormwater management in Auckland to the next level by:

• Defining regional levels of service within funding limits

• Deliver stormwater infrastructure to service special housing areas in coordination with other major Auckland infrastructure providers

• Optimise human resources through changing workloads, by balancing internal staff numbers with external consultants and contractors, to deliver best value for money

• Define and enforce public vs private responsibilities in managing stormwater

• Maximise environmental outcomes through collaboration This paper will provide an overview of how far the AC SWU has progressed as well as the challenges, opportunities and priorities propelling stormwater management to the next level, thereby contributing to the delivery of ‘the world’s most liveable city’.

Keywords: Stormwater, Infrastructure, Auckland Council

The catalyst of this transformational journey Introduction was the amalgamation of one regional council Stormwater management in Auckland is on a and seven territorial authorities into Auckland transformational journey from relying solely on Council and seven Council Controlled hard engineering solutions (e.g. pipes and Organisations (CCOs) on 1 November 2010. culverts) to the use of green infrastructure and The management of stormwater in Auckland, retaining natural stormwater systems that though simpler since the integration, still utilise innovative water sensitive design to presents a number of challenges; the achieve optimal environmental social and amalgamation, the complex nature of economic outcomes for Auckland.

stormwater, and the number of entities involved • Create the SWU’s vision of a ‘water with the multiple contributors and sources. sensitive community’ Under the 2010 amendment to the Local The task of aligning eight different Government Act 2006, Auckland Council is organisations stormwater services into not only responsible for the following two activities: a single entity but also across two CCOs (AT and WSL) presented a number of challenges • Stormwater Management including aligning strategic directions and defining roles and responsibilities. However, • Flood Protection and Control. amalgamation presented new opportunities for In Auckland, the core public stormwater collaboration and optimisation of activities for services and assets are managed by the the greater good of Auckland and to support Auckland Council’s Stormwater Unit (SWU). In growth and development. addition, the management of stormwater is Each of the previous legacy Council’s had their closely linked to Auckland Transport’s (AT) own unique stormwater challenges, with activities and assets; and to a lesser extent variations in stormwater management Watercare Services Limited (WSL) and approaches and priorities. Each Council had Auckland Council Parks department. Many of differing challenges, business processes, the SWU’s treatment and detention facilities knowledge, expertise, District Plan rules, and overland flow paths are located in shared design guidelines and historic pipe design open spaces within Parks. capacity standards, including differing AT’s assets include the roads and associated approaches to flooding and climate change. drainage that both carries stormwater and For example, the Manukau’s stormwater connects to the core public stormwater system. system is comparably young in relation to In addition, roads are one of the highest ’s stormwater network with a sources of stormwater contaminants in urban focus on expansive growth in new greenfield runoff. areas. Historically designed WSL owns and operates the combined sewer stormwater pipes to convey only a 1 in 5 year network that services approximately less than ARI storm event with a designated overland 10% of the former Auckland City area, and flow path, compared to Auckland City’s designs includes WSL’s controlled overflows into the requirements of 1 in 10 to 1 in 100 ARI year core stormwater system. storm events.

Since amalgamation, the SWU has made The former Auckland City area is significant progress in improving the predominately fully developed with very few management of core public stormwater greenfield areas and growth occurring services. predominately by intensification. In addition, the former Auckland City area contains the These improvements include: oldest by age stormwater networks with some brick stormwater lines that require more • Aligning and repackaging all major frequent inspections due to their criticality and operational contracts risk of failure. • Aligning internal processes and procedures There are also differences in stormwater management approaches caused by the • Define roles and responsibilities with underlying geology of an area. For example, other council departments and Council soakage was used in place of a piped network Controlled Organisations (CCOs) in areas of Auckland City above basalt • Implement a structural realignment aquifers. In District areas with peat soils required infiltration solutions during • Consolidate data and information development to maintain ground water levels to • Build awareness prevent long term settlement. • Working collaboratively with the suppliers in ‘the way we work’

Creation of the SWU’s vision of a ‘water As more people become aware of the state of sensitive community’ the environment, the effect of land use on water bodies and the predicted effects of Stormwater in Auckland is an integral part of climate change and global warming, level-of- the three waters (water supply, stormwater and service expectations are beginning to rise while wastewater) that Auckland Council directly and maintaining low rates, driving changes to the indirectly influences. Largely invisible to way stormwater is managed. Aucklanders on a day to day basis, it does not form part of their consciousness, until either a The Auckland Plan is the strategic guide for large storm hits the city or when people interact Auckland’s future over the next 30 years. The directly or indirectly with water bodies. Auckland Plan puts forward the vision for Auckland to become ‘the world’s most However, Aucklanders have an expectation of liveable city’ by 2040. The Auckland Plan clean and health harbours and streams - the describes outcomes needed to achieve this life blood of Auckland - and stormwater can vision by 2040, highlighting six transformational cause much distress in times of flooding. shifts where a ‘step-change’ is needed, refer to Figure 1 for more details.

Figure 1 – Auckland’s Vision

Two of the six transformational shifts – The seven objectives will: ‘radically improving the quality of urban living’ and ‘strongly commit to • Support the vision of the SWU environmental action and green growth’ – directly relate to the provision of stormwater • Guide expenditure over the short, infrastructure. The investment and medium and long term management of stormwater has the potential to • Contribute to the delivery of the regional drive change across environmental, economic outcomes and social outcomes and freshwater is integral to a liveable city. As part of the SWU’s • Ensure good quality built and green commitment to the Auckland Plan the SWU infrastructure for present and future has set itself a vision: ‘To be a liveable city generations. we need to achieve a Water Sensitive Community’. In achieving the seven objectives, the SWU will give effect to the principles of the Auckland To focus the SWU business on achieving the Plan’s strategic direction, transformational above vision, the SWU has established three shifts and outcomes as shown in Figure 3. core and four supporting objectives. These objectives are strongly connected to Auckland Plan transformational shifts and strategic directions, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 – SWU’s Vision and Objectives

Build awareness - Water Sensitive • Commit to water sensitive and low Approach impact design during new development The concept of ‘Water Sensitivity’ is a shift in and redevelopment of land which the focus of stormwater management from promote at source treatment and mimic removing or disposing of stormwater as fast as predevelopment hydrology. possible via built infrastructure, to recognising the value of stormwater, its close • Maintain and enhance the health of interrelationship with natural freshwater streams, groundwater and coastal systems, and how it can enhance the liveability waters. of our cities. • Manage and build resilience to flood The move towards a water sensitive hazards with a risk based approach to community is a significant change in approach flood protection and control through the and will take time. Built infrastructure has retention of flood plains, overland flow always been a primary component of our paths, and appropriate land use. network and its on-going efficient and effective operation and renewal is fundamental to • Embrace the Maori cultural and spiritual sustainable stormwater management but, significance of water and value the increasingly, given our strategic approach, built mauri of water, as well as the amenity, and natural assets need to be managed in an open space and community values. integrated way. • Contribute to the integration and A water sensitive community will: interaction of communities with their streams and coastal areas. • Value stormwater as an essential part of our built environment and our • Explore use and reuse of stormwater as freshwater system. part of total water cycle management,

Figure 3 – How the SWU’s objectives contribute to the Auckland Plan

• Include harvesting, cleaning and To assist with the transformation shift to a reusing stormwater in public open towards a ‘water sensitive community’, spaces. Auckland Council has recently published a guideline document, Water Sensitive Design • Contribute to biodiversity, carbon (WSD) for Stormwater, known as GD04. The footprint reduction and reduction of document introduces the principles and urban heat island effects through use of objectives for WSD and guides the practitioner green infrastructure and natural through a design programme for land systems. development. WSD can be applied to

development scenarios in both greenfield expectations given funding constraints across (undeveloped) and brownfield (previously the entire Auckland Council family. developed) situations. As part of the development of GD04, the SWU appointed a The SWU’s expenditure is constrained by the Water Sensitive Design Champion to promote tight funding envelope to ensure that rates in and advocate for WSD across Council and the Auckland are capped at an affordable level. To wider development industry. ensure ratepayers and the communities expectations are appropriately managed, the The implementation of WSD is essential to SWU went through a process of defining new support the vision of ‘the world’s most regional levels of service as part of preparing liveable city’ and to support the outcome of a the Stormwater Asset Management Plan ‘Green Auckland’ identified in the Auckland (AMP) 2015-2045. Plan. The Stormwater Asset Management Plan WSD promotes land use planning practices 2015-2045, marks a major milestone for the that balance land development with the SWU since amalgamation, setting out the ecosystem services necessary to support it. proposed investment on improving customer The WSD approach has been included in the and environmental levels of service, supporting Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP), not growth of the city and ensuring the fabric of the only for improving the environmental effects stormwater system is maintained in a manner from stormwater discharges but also for the that aligns with the council’s vision of creating fiscal outcomes for Auckland ratepayers. ‘the world’s most liveable city’.

Treating more stormwater at source instead of It focusses on the management of Auckland at the end of pipe will mean more treatment stormwater assets both natural and built: assets are privately owned thus reducing the long term operation and maintenance costs to • Within the challenges of climate change the council. An effective monitoring and and global warming enforcement programme will be necessary to maintain the discharge quality from private • With a significant shift to water sensitive devices. design of stormwater infrastructure

• Prioritising the opportunities to develop Defining regional levels of service innovative solutions in growth areas within funding limits While Aucklanders have expressed clear • Starting to reflect an integrated support for creating ‘the world’s most liveable approach to the management of water city’, and in particular expressed a clear desire supply, stormwater and wastewater. to fix Auckland’s transport problems and improve the quality or Auckland’s urban • Recognising the need for collaboration environment, they have also clearly told us with multiple stakeholders they have no appetite for large increases in rates or council debt • With a strong commitment to community engagement and education With Auckland’s population expected to continue to grow with a predicted increase of The Stormwater levels of service statements an additional one million people in the next 30 were developed around the SWU’s three core years that will see as many as 400,000 new strategic objectives: homes built. This places an emphasis on • Safe Communities sustainable urban development to accommodate population growth, while • Supporting Growth ensuring communities are safe and healthy environments where people can live, work and • Healthy and Connected Waterways play. The overarching infrastructure issue facing Auckland over the next 30 years is how Additional work is underway to clarify the levels to respond to the demand and level of service of service and performance measures through the development of appropriate strategies, Implementation of a structural guidance notes and decision tree processes to realignment ensure consistency in decision making and The amalgamation of multiple entities, assist the preparation of investment business especially into one the size and complexity cases. Auckland Council and CCOs, requires compromises to be made during the initial

formation to ensure the business as a whole The SWU’s capital works programme in the continues to function. Upon amalgamation, the AMP has been initially optimised based on a SWU was predominately a collaboration of constrained budget, objective outcomes and geographic based teams located right across priority drivers (in order of priority) as follows: Auckland. Staff were located in multiple offices (seven) across Auckland and this presented a 1. Asset operation/renewals: effective number of challenges to management in the operation, maintenance and renewal of alignment of strategy, business processes, the assets we already have to ensure decisions and methodologies. Significant time optimum performance was also lost travelling between offices that impacted efficiencies. 2. Growth: supporting and servicing the Auckland Plan’s growth strategy A review post 1 November 2010 identified that demonstrating innovation and best a structural realignment and consolidation of practice staff was needed. This was then followed by a further structural realignment in 2013 to 3. Flooding: progressively reducing predominantly one office to provide existing flood risk across the region; improvements in overall performance and and continue the transformational journey sought by management and envisaged by 4. Environmental Improvement: amalgamation. The exception to co-location of reducing existing negative effects on staff was that three of four operational teams the environment, particularly streams were located at sub regional offices balancing and coastal areas. centralisation with being customer focussed and locally available. The flooding and environmental budgets have been the most sensitive to capital expenditure The development of the new SWU’s team budget reductions, reflecting the weighting of structure (see Figure 5), developed in priorities as outlined in Figure 4 below. A new consultation with staff, began in the first half of prioritisation system has been developed and 2013. The process had a number of ups and is programmed to be implemented over the down as can be expected with any next 12 months. organisational change due to the uncertainty of the process for staff. The process concluded on 31 March 2014, when the new official structure and teams took place.

One of the objectives of the restructure was to create a talent pool of staff that could move between teams depending on workloads and business priorities and allow for staff development. One year on, the SWU is beginning to see the benefits of the process with a number of staff moving between teams, better management of workloads with the ability for staff to gain a wide range of experience.

Figure 4 – Project Priorities The new structure and location of staff predominately at a single office on one floor had additional benefits and supported the roll out of the ‘One Team’ approach and behaviours that align with Auckland Council’s identification of subject matter experts that objective to become a world-class High could be called upon to provide expert advice Performance Organisation and the four high and guidance across council. performance behaviours set by the Executive Leadership Team (ELT). Alignment internal processes and The four high performance behaviours set by procedures the ELT are: Following the restructure of the SWU and movement to one office, it was identified that • Develop staff were different processes and procedures. In response to this, project Daylighting • Collaborate Stormwater was formed to update and align procedures and processes utilising Promapp, a • Serve process management system. The objective was to ensure clear documentation of internal • Achieve processes and procedures, while improving efficiency of project delivery. The project has What we do and how we relate to each other rolled out training for staff and had the every day underpins performance and is additional benefit of simplifying processes important to how we will build a strong, where possible. positive, high performing culture that we can be proud of. Our ‘One Team’ approach Four work streams were developed as part of recognises that underpinning a high performing Project Daylighting Stormwater: team are behaviours. Through a series of workshops, the SWU has developed a detailed 1. Capex Delivery set of behaviours aligned with the four core behaviours, as shown in Figure 6. In addition, 2. Reactive and Programmed quarterly awards for staff who demonstrate Maintenance each of the four key behaviours was rolled out to promote and encourage the behaviours. 3. Assets and Data

As part of creating the talent pool and staff 4. The Way We Work interaction in the one office environment, each staff member undertook the Clifton StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment. The Consolidate data and information objective of staff undertaking the assessments Upon the formation of the SWU, there were was to create a culture where staff are seven Asset Management Systems where data engaged, strengths thrive and productivity was collected and stored. Due to other improves, leading to happier staff. Research priorities at the formation of Auckland Council, by Gallup, shows that people who use their the creation of one Asset Management System strengths every day are six times more likely to (AMS) was deferred. This created a number of be engaged on the job and teams more issues and challenges for staff managing asset productive. The results were made available to information and data within the SWU. all staff and they were encouraged to look at the individuals they most worked with to It had been identified for some time that a understand their strengths. single AMS was required to ensure the efficiency gains of amalgamation and ensure Following the completion of the StrengthFinder The creation of a new project, ‘One Plus’ with assessments, the SWU developed a skills the objective to deliver a regional stormwater matrix in collaboration with staff. Each staff asset management solution started member rated themselves against each approximately one year ago. individual skill with the results moderated in management workshops. The results provided The work to develop the single AMS is in insight into how staff rated themselves, team progress and is expected to be fully completed strengths and knowledge and possible training in 2015. A concept diagram (Figure 7) shows requirements. The results also allowed what the new solution will deliver.

Figure 5 – SWU Structure

Figure 6 – SWU’s One Team Behaviours

Figure 7 – One Plus Concept

Meanwhile transitional solutions have been implemented to ensure that core asset and maintenance data is captured.

Deliver stormwater infrastructure to infrastructure) and WSL (for water supply and service special housing areas in wastewater infrastructure). coordination with other major Auckland Since the transport, water supply, and infrastructure providers wastewater infrastructure investments required The Government and Auckland Council are to support growth are generally much larger concerned about the lack of affordable housing than associated investments in stormwater in Auckland and escalation of housing prices in infrastructure, the former have the greatest the last five years which would be exacerbated impact with respect to the determination of by population growth predictions. As part of the GPAs. Figure 7 shows the locations of these plan to combat Auckland’s housing crisis, the areas within the region. Government and the council set up the Housing Accord, with aims to accelerate delivery of housing across the city until the Optimise human resources through Unitary Plan becomes operative in about 2016. changing workloads by balancing Through the Housing Accord, Special Housing internal staff numbers with external Areas (SHAs) have been and continue to be consultants and contractors, to deliver identified for fast-track development. SHAs are best value for money brownfield and greenfield areas inside the As the workload of the SWU can vary proposed Rural Urban Boundary (RUB), depending on the time of year, weather and the identified for the purpose of urban demands from developments, the SWU is development, mainly for housing, but with constantly looking for ways to optimise human provision for business and community services resources. and amenities as well. In order to support the SHAs, it was recognised SHAs are enabled through a flexible process that very fast and responsive stormwater for development approvals and consenting and advice was required to assist with the structure are processed through the Housing Project planning and the preparation of Stormwater Office (HPO) at Auckland Council. Management Plans (SMPs).

The SWU provides specialist input to the HPO The SWU is currently in the process of on proposed developments and priority is given procuring consultants to assist staff in to SHAs to ensure fast tracked residential providing advice and working collaboratively housing developments in Auckland. The with developers in SHAs. The number of consent processing of SHA developments SHA applications has steadily been rising over takes on a more collaborative approach than the past 18 months and significant amount on the traditional process, with the objective to new structure plans and SMPs is required prior front-load any activity as much as possible. At to hearings that are planned to be held over the lodging, it is aimed to have worked through the next 12 months. majority of the issues so that the consent processing stage is as straightforward and In addition, it was recognised that very fast and quick as possible. responsive stormwater modelling advice was needed to support the SHAs. The traditional In addition to SHAs, the Forward Land & way of providing modelling services was Infrastructure Programme (FLIP) informed the proving ineffective because the SWU was identification of the ten Growth Priority Areas unable to respond quickly to changes in scope (GPAs) for infrastructure planning and due to constantly changing information and investment in the region. These were assumptions. developed by considering the timing of anticipated brownfield and greenfield In order to manage the variable workload and development and the infrastructure be responsive the SWU set up a Stormwater investments which are required to support that Modelling Project Office to build, validate and development. The GPAs were identified with use stormwater models to assess flood risk, input from the SWU and regional infrastructure system performance or provide improvement providers, including AT (for transport options in key catchments across the .

Figure 7 – Growth Priority Areas

A group of six consultants (seconded project under CCCS contracts in Council modellers) deliver the services required for this offices. The consultants are employed on an hourly rate and commit to a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 24 hours a week. The key benefit of the arrangement is that the consultants have access to all council systems and information as well as all council staff.

The Stormwater Modelling Project Office seeks to deliver stormwater models in key growth and flooding catchments. Many of the proposed growth areas are on the edges of the city and do not have detailed models available to support decision making related to growth and development. Information is required in the growth areas for Plan Changes, to support the Special Housing Areas, to manage the flood risk for other developments and to improve the quality of flooding information for risk management of natural hazards. Figure 8 – The Way We Work Knowledge transfer between staff at Council and consultants is encouraged through this Part of the way we work with our suppliers project and will enable Council to grow and includes: retain modelling skills and knowledge of the catchments in-house. With Council staff being • A performance framework with common directly involved in the modelling of the KPIs that are reported and shared (see catchments, technical knowledge of the Figure 9 for an example scorecard) catchments will be retained. • Establishment of working groups Based on the success of the Modelling Office, around each of the four key objectives the SWU is proposing to set up Asset Data and consisting of a range of individuals from Capture Office. suppliers and Council to drive initiatives and improvements in that space Planning for growth and overall efficient (examples include reviewing and business is impacted by the lack of accurate updating the joint health and safety and consistent information in one transparent scorecard, developing better customer repository. With the implementation of ‘One feedback process for implementation) Plus’ it is important to update the asset register with accurate and comprehensive asset • Quarterly contractor meetings where all condition data that can be utilised by the suppliers, operational managers and business for renewal planning. contract managers jointly review KPIs, share learnings and innovations

Working collaboratively with the • Customer satisfaction surveys and suppliers in “the way we work” implementation of learnings from the feedback received In order to truly achieve excellence, the SWU recognised that a need to work collaboratively • Collaborative working relationship with suppliers to present one seamless surveys. For these we undertake interface and one team. Leading the way in confidential surveys of both the the maintenance contract space, we have suppliers and council staff to gauge the developed the way we work in conjunction with relationship. All feedback, scores and all of our key operational and maintenance learnings are taken back to the suppliers. The key to this was distilling the quarterly meetings to feed into Stormwater Strategic directions and Auckland continuous improvements in the way Council high level drivers into something that is that we work. meaningful on the ground and takes the form of five key objectives as demonstrated in Figure 8.

The above is translated into contract roll overs and the award of minor capital work projects. A similar process has been developed for professional consultancy advice in the planning space, with a balanced scorecard for the modelling office under development.

Figure 8 – Contract Specific Performance Scorecard

Align and repackage all major while ensuring financial prudence. The SWU operational contracts consolidated 14 previous maintenance One of the early successes of amalgamation contracts into four area based maintenance was the optimising the operations of the SWU contracts for the Auckland Region over a period of three years; one each for North, • Cleaning of over 90,000 road catch pits South, Central and West areas, refer to Table at various frequencies. 1. All contracts were awarded following public • Cleaning of soakholes and culverts tenders and represented the best value at the time. Define roles and responsibilities with Operational Maintenance contract status other council departments and Council area Controlled Organisations North A single maintenance contract The SWU activities are closely linked to AT’s was awarded in 2014 activities and assets; and to a lesser extent Central A single maintenance contract Parks and WSL. AT’s assets include the roads and associated drainage which both carry was awarded in 2013 stormwater and connect to the SWU’s West A single maintenance contract stormwater system. Roads are also one of the was awarded in 2013 highest sources of stormwater contaminants. South A single maintenance contract was awarded in 2012 Many of our treatment and detention facilities and overland flow paths are in shared open Table 1 - Maintenance contract status spaces. Our main linkages with WSL is through our combined systems, which accounts for The main operational maintenance contracts approximately less than 10% of the former cover the following: Auckland City area, and WSL’s controlled overflows into the stormwater system. • Emergency response and repairs to the stormwater network including A common regional stormwater approach and waterways closer linkages are crucial to ensure better management of stormwater and its effects on the receiving environment. • Periodical inspections, cleaning, repairs, identifying remedial works, As part of the amalgamation on Auckland programming and implementation of Council and CCO’s Detailed Partnership programmes agreements were developed to clarify roles and responsibilities of different department and • Un-programmed works as identified by CCO’s in respect to management and delivery the council of services. Good working relationships are needed between Council departments and • Reporting and providing ‘As Built’ CCO’s to ensure services are delivered in the information most efficient and customer focussed manner practicable. The SWU entered into Condition surveys and some inspections are agreements with WSL and AT, Parks and carried out by specialised contractors and are Regulatory. covered in separate contracts, for example the execution of pipe condition surveys and pond Since the initial agreements were developed it silt level surveys. has been identified that further clarification and refinement of roles and responsibilities is The SWU also carries out operation and necessary to optimise the use of resources and maintenance of AT stormwater assets that are ensure consistency between the different managed through a service level agreement. agreements prepared to date. As Stormwater These assets include catch pits, pipes and assets are managed by AT, SWU and Parks, treatment devices in the road corridor. The there is a risk of duplication or gap in operation and maintenance activities maintenance activities. associated with these assets cover: For example Parks are best placed to • Response to request for service, such undertake weed management of rain gardens as road flooding or reactive repairs of that could be owned or managed by AT or assets SWU. Upgrades or refurbishment of wetlands and ponds in Park land is best undertaken Stormwater Bylaw Hearings Panel on 10 where the necessary experience resides, e.g. November 2014. the SWU. The SWU, AT and Parks are proposing to rationale two separate agreement Council officers are carefully considered written between the three departments to a single tri and oral submissions received over party agreement, to ensure clarity of roles and September-November 2014, including a responsibilities. workshop with submitters in February 2015.

The Deliberations Meeting of the Stormwater Define and enforce public vs private Bylaw Hearings Panel will be held during May responsibilities in managing stormwater 2015. Council staff will present the outcome of the workshop to the hearings panel at the When the Auckland Council was established Deliberations Meeting, with recommendations on 1 November 2010 it inherited three on how to address the submitters’ concerns stormwater bylaws made by Auckland’s legacy while retaining the measures the council councils. In addition, two legacy councils had requires to uphold the objectives of the bylaw. draft stormwater bylaws ready for implementation, but those were suspended pending the establishment of the new Auckland Maximise environmental outcomes Council. All of the legacy councils used a mix of different regulatory and non-regulatory through collaboration approaches to manage stormwater. As part of the preparation of the 2015-2025 Long Term Proposal (LTP), the SWU proposed Auckland Council has reviewed the legacy the creation of a new project focussed on stormwater bylaws and has developed a delivering measurable water quality outcomes, proposal for a new Auckland-wide stormwater now known as Project Healthy Waterways. bylaw (the proposed Stormwater Bylaw). The proposal is to set up a programme of work Adopting a new stormwater bylaw will involve with collaboration at the centre of delivery. The revoking the three legacy stormwater bylaws of outcomes sought by the project are strongly the former Auckland City Council, Papakura aligned with the two of the transformational District Council and Rodney District Council. shifts identified in the Auckland Plan as follows:

The key purpose of the proposed Stormwater • No. 2 - ‘strongly commit to Bylaw is to provide a consistent regulatory environmental action and green approach for stormwater management across growth’ Auckland. The outcomes sought from the proposed bylaw include: • No. 4 - ‘radically improve the quality • Ensuring the development, management of urban living’. and protection of the public stormwater network and private stormwater systems to It is proposed that initially only capital funding will be provided to the programme. Capital a consistently high standard throughout projects to be included in Project Healthy Auckland Waterways are: • Requiring on-site stormwater devices on private land to be properly maintained, as • Separation of combined sewers – they form part of the wider stormwater collaboration with WSL network • Stormwater treatment projects to treat • Managing works and activities on private highly trafficked roads – collaboration property that have adverse impacts on the with AT public stormwater network. • Collaboration water quality projects with Auckland Council’s proposed Stormwater community groups, iwi, and/ developers Bylaw was notified on 8 September 2014; to achieve greater environmental submissions were received over the period 8 benefits over and above those already September – 8 October 2014. Oral planned/funded submissions were heard at a meeting of the

• Sustainable Catchment Programme - • Develop green infrastructure policy. delivered in conjunction with the (Some priority will need to be given to Environmental Services Unit this as it will be needed as guidance for the growth areas.) • Identification of transformational water quality projects • Develop and implement a stormwater bylaw • Water quality projects to intersect leachate from closed landfills • Develop decision making strategies and tools; e.g. cost benefit analysis and In addition, a business case for additional prioritisation tool operational funding is expected to be prepared to fund the following programmes: • Improve practices around managing critical assets • increased compliance monitoring • Work with the Information Service • pollution prevention department to select and implement the regional asset information management • zinc roof programme system based on SAP and ArcGIS.

• additional catch pit cleaning • Publishing and sharing stormwater models and flood information online

Continuous improvement A key feature in the SWU is to continue to Conclusion improve asset management practices, The SWU plays a vital role across both the processes and tools. This is essential to whole of Auckland Council (including Council ensure the asset system and services are Controlled Organisations) and externally with effectively managed. the many parties that have ownership and other interests in stormwater management. The SWU is committed to delivering the most The SWU is committed to delivering on these appropriate level of service commensurate with complex functions using best practice asset affordability and good industry practice. management to efficiently and prudently ensure our public receives the best value for Since the regionalisation of stormwater money possible. management that commenced on 1 November 2010, significant progress has been made but The SWU has made significant strides forward improvements are still on-going, with many since amalgamation and have initiated a raft of business processes and support mechanisms improvements to continue this momentum. still in development. The SWU vision ‘To be a liveable city we need to achieve a Water Sensitive The main improvement objectives to be Community’ will take time to achieve. The achieved in the next three years due to their journey has just begun. priority and importance for achieving advanced asset management and for the stormwater business include: References

• Develop, prioritise and implement an Auckland Council. (2012). Auckland Plan Asset Management Improvement Auckland Council. (2013). Proposed Auckland Programme Unitary Plan Auckland Council. (2015). Draft Stormwater • Develop and record clear business Asset Management Plan 2015-2045 processes and keep them in a visible Auckland Council. (2015). Water Sensitive place for all staff Design Guideline Document (GD04)

• Refine the comprehensive stormwater renewal strategy