Attendees at LGNZ’s Water Summit in Wellington over the next two days will discuss potential solutions to improve New Zealand’s freshwater and three waters delivery.

Over 170 local government delegates, industry experts and central government officials will hear national and international speakers explore issues around drinking water regulation, funding for three waters infrastructure, alternative solutions for the delivery of water services and freshwater management.

“The Havelock North drinking water contamination highlighted issues including funding, ageing infrastructure and the pressures of climate change and population movements, and reiterated that we need to change how we’re doing things,” says LGNZ President Dave Cull.

“This summit is an opportunity for local and central government and the water sector bodies to get together in one room to address issues and discuss solutions across three waters and freshwater.”

Opened by Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Minister of Local Government, the Water Summit will feature 17 speakers, including:

• Hon Lyn Stevens QC, Chair of the Havelock North Drinking Water Inquiry

• Marcus Rink, United Kingdom’s Chief Inspector for Water Supplies with the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – water regulation

• Mike Brewster, Chief Executive of TasWater (Tasmania, Australia) – Tasmanian water model

A full agenda with all speakers can be found here.

“Discussions will feed into LGNZ’s Water 2050 project, which seeks a coherent policy and institutional framework that recognises the interlinked nature of all water.”

“This morning LGNZ released the second Water 2050 discussion paper, focused on water quality, which identifies key issues with the policy framework for drinking and freshwater quality and explores opportunities to correct those.”

“LGNZ and its members share the goal of safe and plentiful drinking water for New Zealand and this has by and large been delivered consistently for decades.”

“However there are challenges which require collaboration between central and local government for the benefit of all New Zealanders that will be the focus of discussion over the next two days,” says Mr Cull.

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