Tairāwhiti residents are being asked to help Council decide which option to go for on how water services are delivered in the future.

Council yesterday (Thursday) adopted the consultation document for Local Water Done Well which is set to run from 1 April through to 1 May 2025.

Tim Barry, Director of Community Lifelines, says it’s important people have their say on something that has a direct impact on the whole community.

“We need a reliable, sustainable and affordable plan for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services from 2027 onwards. The decisions we make now will shape water services for our future generations.”

It’s all part of a nationwide requirement under the Government’s Local Water Done Well policy.

There are two options on the table – the first is Our Water, Our Way. This option means Council will retain direct control of water services with a component ring-fenced separate from other Council operations, specifically for water services.

The second option is to establish a Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) which would be an independent entity that would manage the region’s water services and bill for them separately.

“Our preference is for Council to keep control of our water services, under the Our Water Our Way model.

"It’s less costly to establish as it remains in house and ensures accountability to the community. It also offers more flexibility for future choices if Tairāwhiti saw benefit in a different model. This financial management means every dollar collected for water is spent on water services.” says Mr Barry.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

The Council-Controlled Organisation option is more complex to set up and initially would cost more. It would need to have an independent governance team separate from Council with less direct oversight and would also be more difficult to change direction in the future. “A benefit of a Council-Controlled Organisation is that it could access more borrowing for faster upgrades which is one of the reasons high-growth councils are considering it.”

Water charges will be separated from general rates and shown on customer’s bills as a targeted rate.

Mayor Rehette Stoltz says the region is better placed than many other councils. “We have consistently invested in our critical water infrastructure, including $77 million in upgrades to our wastewater treatment plant. We have a proven track record for providing safe drinking water and we want to keep it that way.”

Key for her was to not only find the right option for the region that was reliable and sustainable, but to ensure the water services were affordable for Tairāwhiti communities in the long term.

All information and the submission form will be available on the Council’s website from Tuesday 1 April 2025. Community hui and drop-in sessions will be held throughout the month.

Council will consider all feedback before deciding on 26 June. All councils must submit their Water Services Delivery Plan to Government by 3 September 2025.

Under the new legislation, Council are required to invest in infrastructure that meets higher health and environmental standards for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater.

The upgrades to the wastewater and stormwater infrastructure will reduce sewer overflows, protect the environment and improve drainage – especially during heavy rainfall events.

Mr Barry says doing nothing simply isn’t an option. "That’s why it's important our communities have their say."

© Scoop Media