MEDIA RELEASE
People who benefit to totally fund scheme costs
For immediate release: 23 March 2009
As part of its Ten Year Plan, Environment Bay of Plenty is proposing to introduce targeted rates for its
rivers and drainage schemes so that those that directly benefit from their protection are paying for them.
Under this proposal rivers scheme costs will continue to be funded 20 percent from general funds while
costs for scheme management and engineering analysis that were previously subsidised through
general funds will be treated as scheme costs.
This means that a ratepayer in the urban Te Puke class (TP1) of the Kaituna scheme for example can
expect to pay $2.20 per 100 square metres of property area for the first year. A rural ratepayer in the
Lower Kaituna scheme (class A1P) can expect to pay $135 per hectare of property for the first year.
Environment Bay of Plenty’s Operations Committee Chairman Malcolm Whitaker said the funds would
go towards the ongoing management of the six major rivers and drainage schemes and 37 minor
schemes, which work to reduce the risk of damage to people, property and their livelihoods.
The Ten Year Plan states what the money will be used for and outlines that Environment Bay of Plenty
will:
 Continue to manage six major river and drainage schemes including vegetation and culvert
clearance, fencing maintenance and replacement, rock edge protection maintenance works,
floodgate and pumping station inspections;
 Continue to manage flood events, operate the public flood warning system and provide flood
warnings to the regional community;
 Provide general flood protection advice, hydrologic modelling, clear drains and stabilise stream
banks for selected priority non-scheme areas;
 Undertake flood risk management through development and review of Floodplain Management
Strategies and flood hazard maps; and
 Monitor the levels of lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti and manage the lake level control structures.
“Rivers, drainage and flood management is a key area of our work and it significantly contributes to
social, environmental and economic well-beings,” Councillor Whitaker said.
“We’ll also provide affordable flood protection to priority flood-prone areas not within a scheme. Our
flood protection role for areas outside of the schemes include stream bank erosion control, enhancing
waterways by planting native vegetation, protection fencing of waterways and stream outlet management
for priority areas.”
For further media information please contact Environment Bay of Plenty Operations Committee
Chair Malcolm Whitaker on 07 312 4114 or Communications Advisor Alexandra Grenfell on 0800
ENV BOP extn 9156 or 0211 909 151.
5 Quay Street, P O Box 364, Whakatane, New Zealand
Telephone: 0800 ENV BOP (368 267)
Email: info@envbop.govt.nz
Pollution Hotline: 0800 73 83 93
Facsimile: 0800 ENV FAX (368 329)
Website: www.envbop.govt.nz
International: +64 7 9223390