There are two aspects related to wells and bores - drilling them, and then taking groundwater from them.
A well is a hole that is less than 20m deep. A bore is more than 20m deep. You do not need a resource consent to drill a well or bore for farm water supplies as long as you can meet certain requirements. The requirements are:
- You must provide the Taranaki Regional Council with a copy of the bore log no more than four weeks after you've completed the bore.
- The bore must be cased and sealed.
- The bore must be located more than 50m from any effluent treatment pond, septic tank, or silage pit.
- The bore must be more than 500m away from the high tide mark on the coast or from other water supply bores.
A well must be at least 25m from the sea, adjacent wells, and any other water body and must be at least 50m from any effluent treatment pond, septic tank or silage pit.
If you cannot meet these requirements, you will need to apply for a resource consent.
With regard to using groundwater (after the well or bore has been drilled), you do not need a resource consent if you are taking less than 50 cubic metres of groundwater per day or less than 1.5 litres per second, and your well or bore is more than 50m from any effluent pond, septic tank, or silage pit. In addition, if you are taking water from a well, you need to be more than 25m from the sea, any other well or a surface water body. If it is a bore, then you need to be more than 500m from the sea or other bores.
If you cannot meet these requirements, you will need to apply for a resource consent. Your consent application will be approved if no saltwater will enter the groundwater where you drill and as long as the water level in any other adjacent well will not be lowered significantly as a result of your groundwater drawoff. If this is not the case, your application will be considered more carefully by the Taranaki Regional Council before they decide whether to grant it.
REFER TO FRESH WATER PLAN