If contaminants are present in soils there is the potential for them to move through the ground into the groundwater. This has been described as a “passive discharge” and it is the opinion of Environment Canterbury that this requires authorisation under Section 15(1)(b) of the Resource Management Act (1991) in the form of a resource consent.

The purpose of a resource consent is to mitigate against any adverse effects that may arise from this discharge, e.g. contamination of groundwater. The resource consent process allows Environment Canterbury to monitor discharges to the environment to ensure they are kept to a minimum, cause no more than a minor effect, and are managed in a sustainable manner.

For further assistance please contact Customer Service on 03 353 9007 or toll free on 0800 324 636. You can also visit our website www.ecan.govt.nz