The Dunedin City Council says it is not too late to rethink planned Three Waters reforms by exploring other models that could save ratepayers from significantly higher costs in future.

The DCC has now finalised its submission on the Water Services Entities Amendment Bill, which seeks to establish new regional entities to manage the country’s drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services.

DCC Infrastructure Services Committee Chairman Councillor Jim O’Malley says the Bill is a “fundamentally flawed” attempt to tackle a real problem facing many councils – how to pay for much-needed, but expensive, water infrastructure upgrades.

“It is not too late to change course. Instead of the rushed consultation on the latest broken Bill, the government would be better off spending its time reconsidering these plans and developing a service delivery model for change that actually works.

“Given its steadfast refusal to do so to date, we can only assume the government is hellbent on ramming through its current plan whatever the cost to local communities throughout New Zealand.

“We support water reform but remain opposed to the transfer of significant community assets to a broken economic model. That’s something we simply can’t support.”

Councillor O’Malley says if the Bill becomes law, there is a “very real risk” ratepayers across Aotearoa will end up paying significantly more for water services through a combination of water charges and rates.

The DCC will also lose control of investment in water infrastructure to support development in the city, and could be powerless to stop future mergers of regional water entities that control Dunedin’s assets.

Instead, the government should consider other mechanisms to address operating efficiencies and funding issues, including other forms of collaboration.

“It’s also incredibly frustrating to once again be given such a cynically short timeframe to respond to the Bill, given the importance of the matters involved.

“This transfer of billions of dollars’ worth of assets is being pushed through without community consultation and raises questions about the government’s commitment to genuine and meaningful democratic principles.”

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