Local Water Done Well

Greater Wellington along with Hutt City Council, Porirua City Council, Upper Hutt City Council, Wellington City Council have joined together to develop a water services delivery plan. This plan will be provided to the Government by 3 September 2025. 

We are currently working on consultation material for our upcoming consultation starting on 20 March.

Following the consultation council will review the feedback and decide on the best option to develop into a Water Services Delivery Plan.

This plan will then be submitted to the Department of Internal Affairs for approval by 3 September.

The government has introduced Bill 3. The Bill addresses many of the more challenging aspects of water reform, including: 

• Long-term requirements for financial stability 
• Further details about the powers, functions, and duties of a water services entity 
• Accountability, planning and reporting regimes for water services 
• Comprehensive economic regulation 
• Amendments to the regulatory settings for Taumata Arowai, the Water Services Regulator 
• Establishing a regulatory backstop power 
• Further changes to the Local Government Act 2002 and other legislation to strengthen the delivery of water services. 

At a full council meeting on 5 November (PDF 27 MB) , Greater Wellington considered the advantages and disadvantages of options for water services delivery, and agreed that a regional approach was the best way forward. Greater Wellington agreed to work with other councils in the region to create a joint water services delivery and implementation plan. Other councils have made decisions about the best way forward for them at the same time. You can read the news release here. 

Nine councils in the Wellington region, along with Horowhenua District Council, have now received a report outlining a recommended regional approach to joint water services delivery. The report outlines the scale of the challenge, implications around funding and pricing and is intended to support councils and councillors for significant decisions ahead. 

It recommends a joint council owned company that would provide all services directly to water customers, and bill directly for water usage and services provided. 

You can read the report here: 

Wellington Region Water Services Delivery Planning Recommended regional approach to a joint Water Services Delivery Plan and delivery model 

Appendices to Report 

Appendix D: Council Profiles