Secondly, my SOP extends waste-water powers and functions for Taumata Arowai. This is important as many submissions to the Health Committee said that the sewage that is discharging into our rivers and beaches is simply not acceptable. I agree with those submissions and want to ensure that Taumata Arowai has much stronger powers in this area. Taumata Arowai will have the power to make environmental performance standards for publicly owned waste-water networks. These are minimum standards which must be included in the new resource consent, or if they relate to trade waste in bylaws. This power brings New Zealand into line with other countries, including member States of the European Union, the UK, Canada, USA, Australia, and South Africa, which all impose some form of minimum standards on publicly owned waste-water networks.