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Taranaki councils seek public input on options to deliver future water services

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PUBLISHED: 30 APR 2025
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 New Plymouth, Stratford and South Taranaki district councils are proposing to team up to establish a regional council-controlled organisation to deliver future drinking water and wastewater services to Taranaki residents, with public feedback opening today.

The regional Water Services Council-Controlled Organisation (WSCCO) is the proposed option the three councils are seeking community input on, as each Council looks to meet the government’s Local Water Done Well (LWDW) strategy to tackle New Zealand’s water infrastructure issues.

While the regionwide organisation is the preferred way to deliver the safe, reliable and affordable services required under LWDW, the councils have put up other options as well.  

All three have an option to continue delivering all water services (including stormwater) through an in-house business unit, similar to what they do now but with some changes to meet new legislative requirements.  

Additionally, NPDC is consulting on an option for its own WSCCO.

Taranaki Mayoral Forum chair and Stratford District Council Mayor, Neil Volzke says the councils started looking at a range of options in March last year, a big part of the discussion being what a joint water services model could look like in Taranaki.

“What was clear from the extensive investigations was that, by working together a regional model was a viable option well worth looking at and this has become the proposed model for each council.”

He says reforming water services is a significant and complex issue with a range of advantages and disadvantages inherent in every model being considered.

“This is an incredibly important decision, probably one of the biggest that we have faced in many years which is why it will be important to hear from our community on what they believe is the best long-term option.”

Due to the nature of stormwater services, including it being influenced by other council services, such as roads, parks and land management, and growth planning, stormwater will continue to be delivered by each council.

To find out more and ways to have your say go to our website go to each council’s website.

You can also read the other council's proposals at: 

Submissions close 5pm, Friday 30 May.

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Page last updated: 11:43am Wed 30 April 2025

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