Consultation opens on proposed Trade Waste Bylaw and Discharge Plan

Today, the Dunedin City Council (DCC) has opened consultation on a proposed Trade Waste Discharge Plan and Trade Waste Bylaw 2026, with feedback welcomed until 5pm on Friday 18 September 2026. Trade waste includes wastewater or liquid waste from commercial, industrial and trade activities that is discharged into the wastewater network.

Although the current Trade Waste Bylaw 2020 has been working well, changes introduced through the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025 requires New Zealand councils to prepare and implement Trade Waste Discharge Plans to regulate trade waste in their districts.

The proposed Plan and Bylaw will help ensure the DCC can continue to effectively manage trade waste while protecting wastewater infrastructure, public health and the environment.

The overall approach to managing trade waste would remain largely unchanged, but would introduce two key changes:

• The first is the introduction of infringement offences and associated fees established under the Act. These would give the Council an additional enforcement tool to support compliance and help safeguard the wastewater network.
• The second is a requirement for all trade waste dischargers to hold a discharge permit. Currently, some low-risk discharges can be registered with the Council without a permit. Under the proposed framework, all trade waste discharges would require a permit, aligning Dunedin's system with the approach in the Act.

Submissions will be considered in October/November 2026, with the Council likely to make a decision on any changes by the end of 2026.

More information is available at www.dunedin.govt.nz/consultation

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