Rangitāne o Wairau Submission on Proposed National Wastewater Standards

At our recent whānau hui, we committed to sharing our response to the proposed National Wastewater Environmental Performance Standards – a proposal that, if implemented, threatens to set our communities back generations in the fight for the health of our wai and the recognition of our rights as tangata whenua.

We’ve now lodged our formal submission and want to share some key messages with you all.

Our wai is not a dumping ground

Rangitāne o Wairau stands firm – the discharge of human waste into our rivers, awa, estuaries and coastal waters is culturally, environmentally and spiritually unacceptable. Regardless of how “clean” the treatment process is claimed to be, dilution is not the solution.

“This practice offends our tikanga and breaches our duty as kaitiaki. If the Crown is serious about Te Tiriti o Waitangi, then it must stop treating our wai as a waste channel,” says Kaiwhakahaere Matua Corey Hebberd.

The proposed standards dismiss cultural values and local context

This proposal takes a one-size-fits-all approach, where as long as wastewater meets a median quality, it is deemed compliant, even when it continues to degrade our wai. This is not good enough. It strips away local voices and disregards the cultural, spiritual, and environmental significance of our waterways.

“Where’s the recognition of whakapapa, of the mauri of the wai? Where’s the place for local, community-driven solutions? These standards take that away,” Corey says.

PFAS contamination: a clear example of why dilution is not the answer

The presence of PFAS chemicals – so-called “forever chemicals” – in the groundwater around Base Woodbourne is a stark reminder of what happens when pollution is allowed to build up unseen. These are contaminants that do not break down, and their presence in our environment poses a long-term risk to the health of our wai, whenua, and people.

“PFAS shows us why median-based standards and a ‘she’ll be right’ approach are dangerous. You cannot dilute your way out of a contamination crisis. We have to treat the cause, not just the symptoms,” says Corey.

35-year consents? Absolutely not.

We’ve strongly opposed the idea that wastewater discharges could be rubber-stamped for up to 35 years. That’s a full generation – and with climate change, advancing technology and changing community expectations, locking in poor practice is irresponsible.

Years of local collaboration at risk

In Te Tauihu, Rangitāne have worked closely with Marlborough District Council over five years to co-design wastewater solutions grounded in tikanga, Te Mana o te Wai, and the RMA. These standards would undo all of that work.

Blenheim Sewage Treatment Plant

The Blenheim plant discharges into areas of immense significance to us – the Wairau Lagoons, Te Pokohiwi-o-Kupe, and the Wairau River. These taonga are recognised in our Treaty Settlement – but they continue to be degraded by discharge.

“These are wāhi tapu. Yet the discharge continues. That’s not partnership. That’s not protection. That’s not progress,” says Corey.

Our bottom line is clear

We want to see:

• A clear shift toward land-based treatment solutions
• Stronger recognition of iwi partnership and local input
• Shorter, more responsive consent durations
• The embedding of cultural values and tikanga in national standards
• Acknowledgement and proactive response to emerging contaminants like PFAS

We are not standing in the way of development – we are standing up for our future. For the health of our mokopuna. For the mauri of our wai.

You can read the full submission here.