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.

Upcoming meetings

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) - now known as Wai Hononga Water Services Limited, 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) - replaced by Anthony Wilson in June 2026. 
• Kim Skelton
• Joshua Hitchcock
• Sara Brownlie
• Onno Mulder.

In June 2026 Anthony Wilson was appointed as the new chair of the board, following the resignation of Michael Sage in May. Find out more

On June 24, 2026, the Council adopted Wai Hononga Water Services Limited's Statement of Expectations and signed its constitution.  

Key documents 

Wai Hononga Water Services Limited Statement of Expectations 

Wai Hononga Water Services Limited Constitution 

Water and Wastewater WSDP 

Stormwater WSDP 

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