Waipā confirms support for Waikato Water Done Well

A water services delivery model with ‘people, place and environment’ at its heart has been confirmed as Waipā District Council’s preferred option for the future.

Under the Government’s Local Water Done Well legislation, all councils across New Zealand are required to produce a water services delivery plan by September this year, with a focus on financial sustainability and meeting quality standards.

At its meeting today, the council unanimously confirmed its preference to join Waikato Water Done Well, a regional Council Controlled Organisation option also being considered by another six Waikato councils. Consultation with the community will start at the end of March.

The six other councils - Waitomo, Ōtorohanga, Matamata Piako, Hauraki, South Waikato and Taupō - have signed a non-binding Heads of Agreement with Waikato Water Done Well and are also going through their decision-making processes.

Today’s decision followed a public workshop earlier this month at which elected members considered detailed information on Waikato Water Done Well, and a subregional option partnering with Hamilton City and Waikato District Councils.

Mayor Susan O’Regan said it was the council’s strongly held desire that in the long term there would be one Council-controlled water services entity for the Waikato.

“But in the short to medium term we are committed to doing what is best for Waipā and the Waikato Water Done Well model is the most affordable for our communities.”

An estimated average price rise of 4.6 per cent across the seven councils is substantially lower than other options considered, and lower than Waipā’s draft 2025-34 Long Term Plan.

Other benefits outlined in the staff report included:

• Waipā being seen as an anchor council, and in a position to shape (with other shareholder councils) the establishment and transition of the CCO.
• Providing an opportunity to align with, and give effect to, multiple Treaty settlements, including but not limited to Te Ture Whaimana of the Waikato and Waipā Rivers, alongside supporting future Hauraki Catchment settlements with a focus on improving environmental outcomes.
• Improving workforce sustainability, attraction and retention issues across the broader region, particularly as it applies to the workforce needs of rural and provincial councils.
• Providing greater certainty, consistency and smoothing of investment for the civil contracting sector, which is a vital partner in delivery, and;
• Providing a large rural and provincial model for multiple Iwi to engage with, and development of economic partnership, investment and workforce opportunities.