With October 2026 fast approaching, now is a good time for consent holders to check where they stand with their water take consents and flowmeter requirements.
National Flowmeter Regulations
Flowmeter requirements are set by national regulations, not regional rules. This means that if your water take is over 5 litres per second (5L/s), you must have a compliant flowmeter installed by 3 September 2026 — regardless of when your consent expires.
The regulations override regional rules and consent conditions, so this deadline applies nationwide.
You can read more here about the national regulations here
Flowmeters must:
- Be installed by an approved installer
- Be verified when installed
- Be re-verified every five years
Find a list of approved flowmeter installers and verifiers here
If your consent is under 5L/s, it does not fall under the national water meter regulations. However, as consents are renewed, Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC) and other councils generally require water meters and telemetry on most water takes. Telemetry systems (such as Harvest, Ricado or Halo) automatically send water use data to council.
There is more information on the BOPRC website
Why Flow Data Matters
Having flowmeter data before renewing your consent is valuable. It allows you to:
- Apply for the appropriate allocation of water
- Avoid under- or over-applying
- Reduce the risk of needing consent changes later
- Know when you have a leak that needs fixing
Good data puts consent holders in a stronger position at renewal time.
October 2026 – An Important Expiry Date
A large number of water take consents expire in October 2026. For many of these, the expiry date has not been extended, as doing so would exceed the 35-year maximum term under the RMA. This has not always been clearly communicated, so it is important to check your consent expiry date.
You can read more about this here
Concrete Aprons at Bore Heads
As consents are renewed, council is including conditions requiring a concrete apron around the bore head. The purpose of this is to protect the bore head and help prevent contamination of the aquifer.
More information about concrete aprons here
Consent holders are encouraged to review their consent conditions and ensure they understand what will be required well ahead of renewal.
Lilian Harley
Director | Environmental Consultant