The Regional Plan: Water for Otago manages water within the region’s boundaries.

The plan became operative on 1 January 2004 and regulates the environmental effects created by using water, activities in waterbodies or discharges of contaminants into the environment. If you are doing activities involving water or land use activities that may affect water, you must comply with the rules in the plan. 

The plan promotes the sustainable management of Otago’s water resources. It sets policies and methods (including rules) to address the use, development and protection of Otago’s freshwater resources, including the beds and margins of waterbodies.

The plan covers all freshwater in Otago, including lakes, rivers, groundwater and wetlands. The Water Plan does not cover coastal water except where activities on land may affect such water.

Under the Water Plan rules: 

• you can carry out permitted activities 
• you need a resource consent for some activities 
• you cannot carry out prohibited activities.

You will need a resource consent for anything the Water Plan describes as a controlled, restricted discretionary, discretionary or non-complying activity.

If you have specific questions about your water permit replacement application, please get in touch with our Consent Enquiries team at consent.enquiries@orc.govt.nz 

If you have any other questions, please contact the Policy Team at policy@orc.govt.nz

The plan below includes all operative plan changes and amendments that are operative as at 21 August 2025.

You can download the full Plan or individual Chapters below.

Note: Differing dates on page footers and maps show when each page or sheet was last updated.