The Preconference Workshops at Stormwater Conference & Expo 2025 offer a unique opportunity for industry professionals to participate in focused, hands-on training sessions before the main event. Led by leading experts in stormwater management, these workshops provide in-depth education on cutting-edge technologies, regulatory updates, and best practices essential for tackling today’s most pressing stormwater challenges. Whether attendees are looking to deepen their technical expertise, explore innovative solutions, or enhance their professional credentials, these interactive sessions deliver valuable insights that can be immediately applied in the field.
Designed to encourage engagement and practical learning, the workshops cover a wide range of topics, from green infrastructure and water quality monitoring to flood mitigation and policy development. Participants will benefit from small-group discussions, real-world case studies, and collaborative problem-solving exercises, ensuring a dynamic and enriching experience. By attending these preconference sessions, professionals can maximize their conference experience, connect with industry leaders, and gain actionable knowledge to drive success in their stormwater projects and initiatives.
Venue: Energy Events Centre, Rotorua
Date: Monday, 12 May 2025
Times: 10:30am – 12:30pm, 1:00pm to 3:00pm and 3:30pm – 5:30pm
Prices
- Preconference workshop member registration $78.59 per session*
- Preconference workshop non-member registration $112.50 per session*
*prices include GST. Sessions must be booked separately.
10:30am – 12:30pm BEST PRACTICE DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF STORMWATER PIPES
Facilitated by: Karen Thompson – Executive Director CPAA and Chair of AS/NZS Standards Committee (WS006 Concrete Pipes), Facilitated by Karen Thompson, Concrete Pipe Association of Australasia, Ray Dong, Jackson McFarlane, Nihal Kaushik of Hynds Pipe Systems, Chris Thorpe and Amanda Choi of Humes NZ
Future proof your Stormwater design and installation – what are the key components of good pipe design that facilitate and determine the future proofing of stormwater pipe, one of council and authorities major assets. Facilitated by Karen Thompson, Concrete Pipe Association of Australasia, Ray Dong, Jackson McFarlane, Nihal Kaushik of Hynds Pipe Systems, Chris Thorpe and Amanda Choi of Humes NZ. This workshop hopes to bring together council staff and professonials to share learnings on options and current best practice of design and installation of stormwater pipe systems. The objective is to showcase examples of design, share means of ensuring great installation practices, discuss ways to fully assess carbon footprints over the lifecycle of a pipe, showcase the growing range of solutions for trenchless construction. Participants can expect to gain improved understanding how they can facilitate the future proofing of their stormwater systems.
Topics
- Design and installation – do it well, do it right, do it once. Including design examples
- Addressing durability in stormwater pipelines
- Carbon footprinting a pipeline
- Jacking pipe showcase
1:00pm – 3:00pm BICULTURAL DESIGN DONE WELL
Facilitated by: Sarah Nolan – Auckland Council & Stephanie Dijkstra – Storm Environmental, for the WaterNZ special interest group – Te Ama | Aukaha te Wai.
A workshop on developing projects with bicultural design at the forefront. We will have a panel discussion initially with industry and iwi experts discussing their experience, learnings, dos and don’ts, as well as overall objectives and purposes . Incorporating Water Sensitive Design (including the technical report developed by Emily and Troy – Te Ao Māori and Water Sensitive Urban Design), Te Ao Māori and other opportunities/outcomes that are achieved when working in a bicultural and partnership space.
Workshopping session will include ‘scenarios’ in which the tables have to problem solve and come up with a bi-cultural approach for the issue presented to them. The scenarios will be representative of different issues, opportunities or challenges we see across our industry. This is to ensure that attendees see their mahi in the workshop, allowing them to be able get tangible ideas on how to incorporate the ideas in the future. The scenarios will then be presented back to the other attendees and to the panel for discussion.
3:30pm – 5:30pm RAINCHECK 2025 – STORMWATER DEVICE APPROVALS STANDARD
Facilitated by: Julia Watson of Stormwater360, for the Water New Zealand special interest group – Stormwater.
The lack of a national standard for the process of approving stormwater treatment devices causes international standards to be applied inconsistently and inappropriately across Aotearoa New Zealand. Regulators need support when consenting devices, engineers and designers need certainty that a stormwater treatment devices and practices are going to meet freshwater plans policy and a device is fit for purpose to address local stormwater needs.
Recognising that legislation and policy changes are in play and could gazump or supersede this work – RMA amendments and national direction programme, future of freshwater plans, NEDS to be mandated by 2026 (and that the stormwater section of NEDS was the weakest) Taumata Arowai Stormwater Network Environmental Performance measures and anticipated stormwater standard and rules, and risk assessments Stormwater becoming an orphan in responsibility split with business units or transferred to CCOs.