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

Three Waters reforms

Background

  • Central Government’s current proposal would see responsibility for the delivery of New Zealand’s drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services shift from 67 councils to four publicly-owned Water Service Entities (WSEs). 
  • Under the proposal, councils will be written into law as owners of the assets but will not be financial shareholders. All financial aspects will be managed by a governance board.
  • We are likely to become part of a Water Service Entity serving 800,000 people spanning Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, plus Whanganui, Ruapehu and Rangitikei.
  • According to Department of Internal Affairs analysis, the average household three waters cost in our WSE is estimated at $4300 without reform but $1220 with the reforms.

Latest

  • On 7 February, Mayor Neil Holdom wrote to Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee detailing NPDC’s opposition to the Water Services Legislation Bill. You can read the letter here.
  • You can read NPDC’s submission to Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee on the Water Services Entities Bill here.
  • On Friday 12 May the Mayor and 12 Councillors wrote an open letter to the Minister of Local Government.
  • They expressed their opposition to the proposed 3 Waters reform, asked a number of questions and suggested solutions.
  • Read the open letter, also published in the local newspaper, here.

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Page last updated: 08:41PM Mon 13 March 2023

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