On-Site Effluent Treatment Regional Plan

The On-Site Effluent Treatment Regional Plan 2006 deals with the effects of domestic wastewater on water quality in the Bay of Plenty.

On-site effluent treatment systems include septic tanks and associated soakage fields and advanced aerobic systems.

The Plan and maps are available to download:

• Operative On-Site Effluent Treatment Regional Plan - Text
• Operative On-Site Effluent Treatment Regional Plan - Maps:
  • Schedule 9 Maps of Rotorua Lakes Catchments 
  • Schedule 10 Maintenance Zone Maps
  • Schedule 11 Reticulation Zone Maps

Please note Ongare Point, Te Puna West and Lake Rotomā settlement areas (excluding Ngamotu) are now reticulated and are therefore no longer considered as Maintenance Zones.

Amendments

Plan Change 1 (Date Deferral for Small communities) incorporated 1 March 2011.
Plan Change 2 (Maintenance Zones) incorporated 12 August 2014.

Update on New Draft OSET Provisions

The Regional Council had planned to publicly release (notify) new draft OSET provisions in 2025 as part of the wider Essential Freshwater plan change.

However, the Government is currently developing new resource management legislation, including new national rules for managing freshwater and other regulations that affect on site wastewater systems.
To make sure our rules align with these upcoming national changes, Council has paused work on plan changes until central government finalises the new legislation.

What happens in the meantime?

Under section 79 of the Resource Management Act 1991, the rules in the current Operative On‑Site Effluent Treatment (OSET) Regional Plan remain in force.

When plan changes are able to restart, updated provisions (based on the work already completed) will be released.

If you have any questions, please contact Jill Owen, Senior Planner, by email or phone 0800 884 880.