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Water, wastewater and stormwater

Local Water Done Well

Background 

In February 2024, the Government launched the Local Water Done Well (LWDW) programme to replace the previous Three Waters Reform. This new approach:

  • Restores council ownership and control of water services, including drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater.
  • Sets strict standards for water quality and infrastructure investment.
  • Requires financial sustainability for all water services.

Councils are required to develop Water Services Delivery Plans (WSDP) showing how they will deliver and fund water services. These plans had to be submitted to the Secretary for Local Government by 3 September 2025 and had to demonstrate financial stability by 1 July 2028.

On 22 July 2025, NPDC decided to establish a Water Services Council-Controlled Organisation (WSCCO) to manage drinking water and wastewater services and to continue delivering stormwater services through an in-house model.

This decision followed a period of public consultation, on a range of options, including the preferred proposal of a Regional WSCCO with Stratford and South Taranaki District councils.  However, the regional approach was discarded after the other two councils decided to continue with in-house models.

NPDC approved its WSDP for water and wastewater and stormwater in August 2025 before submitting them to Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). The plans were approved on 31 October 2025.

 

What's happening now?

On Thursday 18 December 2025, New Plymouth District Council voted to approve the constitution of a new Water Services Council Controlled Organisation (WSCCO) as part of the implementation of its Water Services Delivery Plan.

The constitution is a legal document that set out the rights, powers, and duties of a company, its board, directors and shareholders and is part of the process Council is following to incorporate the new organisation with the New Zealand Companies Office.

Council is working to implement the Water Services Delivery Plan it submitted to the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) as part of the Government’s Local Water Done Well reforms.

The new organisation will have an independent Board of Directors and will manage water and wastewater networks as efficiently as possible and in line with the Government’s reform model.

In October 2025 the Council appointed five independent board of directors:

  • Michael Sage (Chair)
  • Kim Skelton
  • Joshua Hitchcock
  • Sara Brownlie
  • Onno Mulder.

 

Key documents 

Water and Wastewater WSDP 

Stormwater WSDP 

A copy the WSDP Assessment Report for NPDC is available on the DIA's website. 

 

Council Decision Timeline

  • 18 December 2025: Council approved WSCCO’s Constitution.  See agenda.
  • 12 August 2025: WSDP adopted at Council meeting. See minutes here 
  • 22 July 2025:  Council meeting to deliberate public feedback and recommend a water services delivery model.  The decision was to recommend setting up a NPDC Water Service Delivery Council-Controlled Organisation to deliver drinking and wastewater services and continue to deliver stormwater services from in house.  Read the minutes from this meeting.  
  • 1 July 2025: Hearing for verbal submissions. See list of speakers here.
  • 30 May 2025: Public Consultation ended. View individual submissions here.
  • 16 April 2025: Extraordinary Council meeting to adopt Local Water Done Well Consultation Document. Read report and minutes.
  • 19 February 2025:  Extraordinary Council - Local Water Done Well. Read the report and minutes or view a recording of the meeting. 
  • 16 December 2024:  Council meeting. Read the report and minutes or view a recording of the meeting.
  • 8 October 2024: Extraordinary Council - Water Service Delivery for Taranaki.  Read the report and minutes or view a recording of the meeting. 

Page last updated: 03:58pm Fri 19 December 2025

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06 759 6060 enquiries@npdc.govt.nz
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