Lower Waitaki Irrigation Company Ltd

 

 

LWIC RULES OF OPERATION  2023-2024

As a shareholder in the Lower Waitaki Irrigation Company you must abide by the following Rules (as per Water Supply Agreement). LWIC Rules of Operation may be altered from time to time at the Directors discretion and failure to abide by these rules will render the offender liable for discontinuance of water supply and/or monetary fines

 

  Borderdyke Operating Rules: 

1. Roster: must always be observed unless otherwise authorized by the Race Operators.

 

2. Turn on and turn off times: shown on your roster unless prior arrangements have me made with the Race Operator. If not requiring water, Race Operator to be given 12 hours’  Turn out gates not to be closed prematurely without prior consent of Race Operator.  This is most important in the event of heavy rain as races decrease in size as they go downstream and could overflow.

 

3. Pump shed location: Shareholders whose turn out or pump shed is located on another farmer’s property shall have access to operate their turnouts and pump sheds.

 

4. Run-off:

 

1. No borderdyke run-off to neighbouring farms or roads, run-off must only be through the drainage system, volume of which must not exceed over a 300mm pipe when exiting property

 

1. Polluted wipe off water is not permitted

 

Spray Irrigation:

 

5. Water Ordering: must be placed 8 hours prior to starting and stopping of pumps this can be done online between the hours of 6:00am and 6:00pm (contact LWIC if unsure on how to do this), or via email or telephone LWIC between the hours of 8:00am and 12:00pm. For unplanned shutdowns due to un-forecast rain events contact the Race Operator prior to shutting down.

 

6. Meter verifications: Flow meter verifications must be done every 5 years and submitted to LWIC.

 

All shareholders:

 

7. Non-authorized taking of water is not permitted.

 

8. Irrigation Conversion and Irrigation System upgrades:

 

1. For any irrigation conversions or system upgrades the Race Manager must be informed prior to commencing the irrigation design process. This is to plan for changing demands on the distribution network and to meet any resource consent conditions and/or regional rules.

 

1. LWIC Application form for Conversion must be filled out (under application forms on website) and approved by LWIC prior to ordering any new irrigation infrastructure.

LWIC will approve a Point of Take and notify the shareholder of their allocation relative to their shareholding but it remains the shareholders responsibility to ensure that the irrigation plans comply with all company rules.

 

1. c) The Race Manager must be notified of any alterations or modifications to existing pump takes and screens prior to any such work being undertaken.

Race and Scheme infrastructure:

 

9. Fencing

 

1. Fencing of all races and drains situated on a shareholder property is mandatory at shareholder expense.

– minimum of single hotwire outside race/ drain profile

–Sheep are permitted to graze only, and only with no damage

 

1. All fencing maintenance is under shareholder responsibility and expense

 

1. Easement Land: All electric fences have insulated break couplings suitably located to facilitate vehicle access

 

10. Operator Access to Races and Irrigation infrastructure

 

1. Access must be given to LWIC staff: to scheme infrastructure at any time for the purpose of inspection, repair, and maintenance

 

1. If any locked gates that will restrict access to Race Operators, copies of keys must be given to LWIC at the time of lock installation

 

11. General Race and LWIC management  

 

1. Desilting: After consultation with the shareholder allow the Company to remove silt and other material from Races or water pipes and allow material to be spread on Easement Land (or such other areas of the Land as agreed between the parties) to dry, grade and ultimately re-grass

 

1. Stock in races: Any dead animals in the race to be immediately disposed of and is the responsibility of the farmer whose property the race is on

 

1. Stock Water: Shareholders can take water from LWIC races for the purpose of stock water but must have a reliable alternative option. LWIC does not guarantee a reliable supply of stock water at any time of the year.

 

1. Drainage system: repair and maintenance of any flood channels and/or open water courses on property carrying surplus flood water must be kept to scheme standard to permit the proper functioning of the scheme and is the responsibility of the Shareholder

 

12. Trees and weeds on and around races and scheme infrastructure

 

1. No New trees to be planted on races or on/around Scheme Infrastructure without the prior written approval of the Company

 

1. For any existing trees or newly approved trees, trees must be trimmed and cleared as to not restrict access by Race Operators. Any fallen trees into races must be removed promptly

 

1. Weeds growing outside of the race access median/strip must be controlled by the Shareholder. Any noxious weeds inside the race profile are LWIC’s responsibility

 

13. Damage to scheme infrastructure:

 

1. Any costs associated with damage caused by the Shareholder or Shareholder representative will be incurred by the Shareholder. This includes but not exclusive to damage caused by borderdyke run-off, stock, machinery, vehicles, or farm infrastructure

 

1. No alterations or interference with the Scheme Infrastructure without the prior written consent and conditions of the Company

 

1. Within 10 meters of the races:

• No structures to be erected or altered including bridges, crossings
• No earthworks
• No fires or vegetation burn off
• No discharge of excess chemicals (not including point contact weed control), collection point for debris, or dead stock without the prior written consent and conditions of the Company

 

 

Environmental Rules:

 

14. FEP and Audit System:

 

1. All shareholders 20 shares and above to have a Farm Environment Plan (FEP); and must be Audited to Good Management Practice. These Shareholders must give auditors access to property to conduct Audit at mutually agreed time and date.
2. All shareholders with winter forage crops must have seasonal Grazing Plans

 

1. LWIC Resource Consent Conditions, Regional and National rules must be adhered to; including no overwatering, ORC Plan Change 8 Effluent rules and National Environment Standard rules.

 

LWIC effluent rules:

 

1. In addition to Plan Change 8 effluent rules: effluent must not be spread within 20m of an irrigation race or drain (that are not classified as waterways, as under ORC rules waterways trigger a 50m buffer).

 

1. No effluent to be spread through VRI system overtop of Main or Papakaio races. For all  other races VRI must be installed if an irrigation system that incorporates effluent crosses over these races

 

1. Backflow prevention valve must be installed and verified annually. Evidence of this will be required to be shown at a farms FEP audit.

 

 

 Stock exclusion: the following is prohibited:

 

1. Any dairy cattle, or pigs with access to flowing water anywhere on your farm.

 

1. Any beef cattle, or deer with access to any flowing water (regardless of width) in any irrigated or forage crop paddocks. Any other paddocks stock exclusion to be determined through Actions in the Farm’s FEP. Temporary fencing is adequate.

 

1. National Standards (NES) for stock exclusion rules 2023 onwards (that trumps above)

 

  Boreheads

 

1. Boreheads will need to be securely covered with no visible cracks or leaks

 

1. No contamination from effluent, chemicals, or septic tanks

 

1. Water takes to be compliant with Regional Council Rules

 

 

 

 

For more information, please contact LWIC staff or visit www.lowerwaitakiirrigation.co.nz -scheme info – shareholders to view and download application forms and detailed policies.

 

Operations Contacts

 

Race Manager	Michael Lane	027 220 2172
Race Operator	Andrew Ward	027 453 6691
Race Operator Race Operator	Brent Growcott Scott Matthews	027 368 8991 027 464 1511
Administration	Sally Grant	03 431 7700

 

 

Current Company Directors

 

Chairman Director of Works	Rhys Hamilton Rogan Borrie	027 431 7077 027 602 3570
Director	Jackie Dalziel	022 315 3307
Director	Becky Laming	027 923 9899
Director	Russell Hurst	027 201 9914

 

Appendix A.

 

Water supply schedule of rates for the 2023/2024 Irrigation Season:

 

Rates Note: All prices quoted are excluding GST

 

7.A.      All users on restricted rostered supply to be charged $100 per ha per season. Based on 100 cents per applied ml or $10.00 per 1000m3.

 

7.B.      Rostered supply allows 100mm application per hectare per watering.

 

7.C.      Spray Irrigators  = $100.0 per ha.

 

7.D.      Commercial water price is at   $18.27 per 1000m3.

 

7.E.      In the event of heavy rainfall, we request that you do not shut down immediately to avoid races overflowing.  LWIC will not charge for the extra water related to this controlled shutdown.

 

7.F.      If LWIC fails to supply an adequate supply of water during rostered time, then we will not charge for any extra water for that roster period.