Water metering

Accurate water information is essential for effective water management within the Bay of Plenty. National Regulations for measuring and reporting water takes were introduced under section 360 of the Resource Management Act in November 2010.

The regulations require all water takes of 5L/s or more to be metered and to supply regular electronic water records to the Regional Council. The meter and associated pipework shall be verified by an approved verifier every 5 years (or as stated in the consent). All electronic water records should be submitted to Council in accordance with the Consent Data Submission Standard below. 

Consent Data Submission Standard

Where water use data is required to be collected and submitted, either through consent conditions or directly under the metering regulations, then the data must be captured, and sent electronically to the Regional Council, in accordance with Council’s Consent Data Submission Standard.

Further information

• You can also read a copy of the Resource Management (Measurement and Reporting of Water Takes) Regulations 2010.
• More information is available on the Irrigation NZ website.
• Consent Data Submission Data.

Contact our Resource Consent team if you would like to know what changes are involved for you.

Water metering allows you to accurately measure the rate and the quantity of water being taken under the conditions of your consent. It is also a valuable tool in helping you to understand your water use and improving pasture or orchard efficiency.

There are many water meters on the market, so choosing and correctly installing the right meter for your situation is essential.

Meters need to have an accuracy of +/- 5 percent be sealed and tamper proof and be suited to the quality of the water it is measuring. They also need to be able to provide data in a form suitable for electronic storage.

You will also need to consider what the flow range will be, meter power requirements, access, maintenance requirements and cost.

This table is designed as a basic guide to water meter selection. Contact your supplier for more information. Always ensure you choose a meter that complies with the conditions of your consent.  

Your meter needs to be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications so that it reads as accurately as possible.

Ideally the meter will be installed with a sufficient straight length of pipe between gate valves, elbows etc and the meter. This ensures there is no turbulence in the water passing through the meter. This may require a pipe length of 10 times the pipe diameter before the meter and five times the pipe diameter after the meter - but check the requirements of your meter first.

An incorrect installation might look like this:	A correct installation might look like this:

Alternatively, use the Water Meter Verification Template