Types of rates

We have two types of rates - general rates and targeted rates.

General rates

General rates are paid by all ratepayers in the region.  The general rate funds activities that are not funded through targeted rates. General rate activities include:

• Resource management - Policy and planning
• Environmental science - State of Environment monitoring
• Land management advice
• Biodiversity management
• Resource management - Compliance and enforcement
• Land management - Farm plans and advice or catchment schemes
• Pest management
• Harbour management
• Mana whenua engagement
• Emergency management
• Democratic services
• Wairarapa water use project
• Flood protection - Understanding flood risk
• Regional Parks

Targeted rates

Targeted rates are paid by specific groups of ratepayers that directly benefit from certain activities. Some of these include:

• Wellington Regional Strategy
• Warm Greater Wellington
• Water Wairarapa
• Public Transport
• Catchment schemes
• Drainage schemes
• Regional predator control programme
• Maintaining flood protection and control works
• Improving flood security

See the Revenue and Financing Policy for more details about how our work is funded.

What about water supply?

We collect and treat all the drinking water that Wellington, Hutt, Upper Hutt and Porirua city councils supply to consumers. Our water supply costs are not funded from regional rates; they are billed to those councils directly through a water levy. Each council's share of annual costs is estimated from their city's actual water use during that year. At the end of the year there will be an adjustment for actual use by each city. For more information on water supply see Wellington Water.