Land Owner Responsibility

Well maintained water race

  • Water Races noted as ‘Privately Maintained’ are the responsibility of the adjacent landowner. This includes some races within the road reserve. Please contact us to find out which Water Races are privately maintained.
  • Clean water races should be free flowing, and clear of silt, vegetation and other obstructions that prevent water from flowing.
  • You are required to make sure that the race is clean, clear and not holding up flows to downstream properties, or causing effects such as flooding.
  • Spraying of water race banks is not recommended as it can cause them to slump and collapse, please only spot spray pest plants with aquatic approved chemicals and avoid blanket spraying of banks which can damage the water race banks.
  • Pest plants such as Gorse, Broome and Willow also need to be managed as well as hedges and plantings maintained so they don’t affect the flows in the race.
  • Land owners failing to do their maintenance will be given clean notices, and if not complied with, council will do the work and on charge the costs back to the landowner.

Please email us at water.services@selwyn.govt.nz if you want advice on how to manage your water race.

Our responsibilities

  • Maintaining Water Race supply across the schemes (however, Council cannot guarantee flows)
  • Conducting appropriate river works at the intake structures as required (the intake channels are subject to weather and water level changes and are frequently washed over)
  • Excluding fish from the river intake channels from entering the scheme as far as practicably possible (Council has installed fish screens at each intake)
  • Maintaining and clearing the Main supply, critical, and strategic sections of the Water Race network (all other sections of the Water Race are to be privately maintained by affected landowners in accordance with Council's current Water Race Bylaw)
  • Rain event and flood related proactive and reactive actions to help divert overland flows entering the Water Race network (altering levels, diverting flows into tip-outs, closing the intakes, grate and grill clearing, etc.)
  • Monitoring of the network and being compliant with applicable regulations
  • Conduct clearance works and scheduled maintenance on pest species and excess vegetative growth (e.g., Council operates a district wide spray programme)

If unsure, please contact us to find out whether your water race is cleaned by our contractor or to get further advice on maintaining your water race.