Local Water Done Well

News, Three Waters Reform

Development of a joint delivery arrangement for inclusion in a Water Services Delivery Plan

The three Wairarapa District Councils (Masterton, South Wairarapa, Carterton) and Tararua District Council (TDC) are exploring options for future water services delivery, as required by the new legislation introduced into Parliament on 30 May 2024 as the Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill.

The Bill requires councils to prepare water services delivery plans that:

a. identify the current state of each council’s water services

b. demonstrate publicly each council’s commitment to deliver water services in a way that ensures compliance, meets drinking water standards, is financial sustainable, and supports housing growth and urban development.

The water services delivery plan must include a description of the proposed model or arrangements to deliver water services, including whether this will be through a new joint arrangement, or by continuing a current arrangement, e.g. South Wairarapa’s arrangement with Wellington Water Ltd, or in its district alone (currently the case for Masterton District Council).

The three Wairarapa District Councils have signed an memorandum of understanding to explore a Wellington Regional Water Services Delivery arrangement with seven other Wellington region councils.

They have also formed a small team to explore the option of a Provincial Delivery arrangement involving the Wairarapa and Tararua District Councils. This is appropriate as small, provincial councils with similar characteristics, networks, and values we wish to ensure are considered and protected. Work is at an early stage to examine all practicable options, including continuing the status quo, joining an entity with Wellington region councils, or creating a Wairarapa and Tararua provincial entity.

For the Wairarapa group, each council has nominated an elected member to represent their interests at a governance level. The same representative will sit at a governance level on both the regional and provincial projects. Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Wairarapa will both be represented on the Advisory Oversight Group exploring Provincial Delivery arrangements involving the Wairarapa and Tararua district councils. Governance representatives for the Councils and Iwi are:

  • CDC – Mayor Ron Mark
  • MDC – Councillor David Holmes
  • SWDC – Councillor Colin Olds
  • TDC – to be confirmed
  • Jo Hayes will represent Rangitāne and Ngāti Kahungunu on the Wellington regional group.

A key outcome of both the regional and provincial project teams is to develop sufficient analysis and information for councils to decide which, if any, alternative options to the existing arrangement for delivering water services they will consult on.

The three Wairarapa councils have prepared a joint submission to the Select Committee on the proposed legislation to make sure our interests are safeguarded and to ensure clarity of purpose and scope as we deliver the project. All councils are committed to being transparent during the process of considering a joint arrangement.

Consultation will be undertaken once we have fully developed options for consideration against the status quo. How we deliver water services is a critically important decision for the future of the region, and we recognise the need for everyone to have the chance to have their views heard.

Key documents

Joint Submission – Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill [PDF] Joint Submission – Wairarapa provincial approach [PDF]

 

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