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Water, wastewater and stormwater
E toru ngā whakahoutanga o te wai

Three Waters Reform

Local Water Done Well (LWDW) ,is a  programme of reforms introduced by the Government in February 2024 that replaced what was known as Three Waters Reform.

The main changes from the previous approach are: ater

  • The Three Waters Reform has been repealed, and the co-governed water service entity model scrapped.
  • Council ownership and control restored.
  • Strict rules for water quality and investment in infrastructure have been set.
  • Ensure water services are financially sustainable.

The Water Services Preliminary Arrangements Bill (Bill 2) lays out the foundations for the next stage of water reform:

  • Councils must develop and submit Water Services Delivery Plans (WSDPs) within 12 months of the bill’s passing.
  • Basic "economic regulation" through information disclosure requirements.
  • Enabling councils to design the structure, delivery method and funding and financing arrangements for their water services.
  • Councils are expected to submit a one-off WSDP in mid-2025, which needs include a plan demonstrating how it would achieve financial sustainability by 1 July 2028.

New Plymouth District Council is working with Stratford and South Taranaki district councils to investigate options for water services delivery in the Taranaki region.

What’s happening now

  • Bill 2 is currently sitting with the Committee of Whole House before the Third Reading and Royal Assent. Read NPDC’s submission.
  • Bill 3 is expected to arrive in late 2024 to cover a framework for economic regulation and the more detailed powers and duties of the water CCOs

Keep an eye on this page for updates and the reforms progress.

Page last updated: 11:45am Thu 15 August 2024

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