Significant new standard to be released in November

Since late 2006 I have been representing local government interests on a committee charged with the development of a NZ Standard for flood risk management in New Zealand. This work resulted in NZS 9401:2008 Managing Flood Risk - A Process Standard, which will be launched in late November.

 

The Standard has evolved from the Flood Risk Protocol developed in 2005 and presents a best practice approach to managing flood risk. Intended users include local authorities, central government, communities, engineers, and developers.

 

The project started in February 2007 with thirteen organisations comprising the Committee, including the Centre for Advanced Engineering, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Environment Waikato, Federated Farmers, Insurance Council, Ministry for the Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Earthquake Commission, Ministry for Civil Defence and Emergency Management, Ontrack, Otago Regional Council, Thames-Coromandel District Council, and Whakatane District Council.  A representative from the Joint Australian/New Zealand Standing Technical Committee OB-007 Risk Management was later co-opted by the committee.

 

The committee considered numerous documents, reports, and papers. Some of the key ones were:

  • The case for change -  presentation outlining the current system failures and why change is required
  • Peninsula Project Audit - a recently completed project reviewed using the proposed Standard
  • Barriers to implementation - identifying impediments to implementing good practice
  • Civil Defence and Emergency Management Group plan and Hazardscape report
  • New South Wales Flood Plain manual
  • National Policy Statement on flood and storm water risk management (MfE)
  • A policy statement from local government March 2007
  • The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) summary findings from17 councils on how they manage flood risk
  • A report mapping the elements in the Protocol against the relevance and applicability of AS/NZS 4360
  • The Pitt report on flooding in the United Kingdom (2007)
  • Terms of reference for committee
  • Discussion paper for flood risk management workshop
  • Managing flood risk background report which explained the thinking and the decision made during the development of the Protocol.

A key issue discussed during the initial phase of the development was whether a Standard or a Handbook should be produced. The committee reaffirmed the need for a document that clearly states what must be done (as opposed to what should be done), and therefore decided on a Standard.

 

The initial draft was released for public comment in November 2007. Standards New Zealand received over 105 pages of public comment and the committee reviewed these during two separate full-day meetings.  A large number of submitters wanted a prescriptive step-by-step Standard that gave examples of engineering flood protection measures, such as meeting a 1-in-100 year standard or raising buildings by one metre. Some submitters also wanted a document that identified the responsibilities of different agencies. The committee decided that it was better to focus on providing a framework to help decision-makers work through the range of issues that need to be considered in addressing flood from a risk management perspective.

 

The overriding debate has been between the pure risk management experts saying that the Standard should be more risk-based and the flood management fraternity saying it too risk-based and they want more practical advice.  This sort of debate could go on indefinitely without adding any real value, hence the committee's comment in the foreword to the Standard:

 

"This is a process Standard designed to guide decision-making on flood risk.  It is not a technical, prescriptive, or performance-based Standard.  In this sense NZS 9401 is the first of its kind and a Standard which will benefit from practical experience in applying it to real life situations, and events.  The next revision of the Standard will be greatly helped by feedback from decision-makers, stakeholders, and communities.  This input will inform and improve the next edition of NZS 9401.  It should be sent to the address given...".

 

There is widespread support from all the nominating organisations and key stakeholders for the Standard. Feedback shows a clear wish to improve New Zealand's approach to flood risk management, and supports a process-based Standard to assist with better decision-making to reduce the risk of damage over time. I recommend it to you for use in addressing the flood risks affecting your communities.

 

Copies of the Standard will be available late November at: http://www.standards.co.nz/

 

Steve Ruru

Chief Executive, Thames-Coromandel District Council, member of the RAC Flood Management Sub-Committee and Chair of the Standards NZ Committee