Kā Wai e Toru

3 Waters

The Council's 3 Waters team looks after the district's water supply, wastewater (sewage) and stormwater, including urban drainage, rural drainage and stockwater.

When talking about water, some common terms that are used include surface water, groundwater, wastewater and stormwater.

  • Surface water is what we see in our rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands and estuaries.
  • Groundwater is the water that exists in aquifers beneath the ground. This is replenished by rainwater that travels through the soil.
  • Wastewater is the water that goes down drains from inside our house, after we do our washing, flush the toilet or have a shower or bath.
  • Stormwater runs through a separate piped system from that of wastewater or across the ground - it doesn't end up in the sewer.

While not a drainage function, the Council also maintains a network of stockwater races throughout much of the Waimakariri District's rural areas for the purpose of providing stockwater to rural properties.

Obtaining Service Plans

To obtain service plans in the Council's road reserve, contact beforeUdig. The beforeUdig service helps contractors to determine the location of any underground services before excavating.

Contact details:
Website: www.beforeudig.co.nz
Email: contactus@beforeudig.co.nz
Phone: 0800 248 344

For any service plans on private property, contact Customer Services, phone 0800 965 468 or email office@wmk.govt.nz.