Auditor-General’s report, Managing the supply of and demand for drinking water
The Auditor-General’s report Managing the supply of and demand for drinking water was presented to the House of Representatives today.
We audited three district councils (Horowhenua District Council, Kāpiti Coast District Council, and Manawatu District
Council) and one city council (Palmerston North City Council) to understand the challenges they face in supplying
drinking water to their communities. We looked at what these four councils are doing to influence demand for drinking
water and whether they are taking an integrated approach, using financial and non-financial methods.
We found, for all four councils, that some things had been done well and that other aspects could be improved. All four
councils recognise that issues such as climate change, increased demand, increased limits on access to water, increased
regulation, or higher consumer expectations are likely to affect them. However, there is uncertainty about the pace of
change.
In the absence of national outcomes for supplying drinking water that councils might be required to meet, principles
that they should use for decision-making, or requirements that set out what a high standard of water supply management
should look like, councils are responding to their particular challenges in ways that they consider prudent and
responsible.
We understand that every council has its own priorities. In our view, councils that have a broad range of objectives for
providing drinking water and a greater balance between supply and demand management tools are in a better position to
respond to future challenges. This is because they have taken a more comprehensive approach to providing drinking water
that puts emphasis on leak reduction and water conservation, even when access to water is not restricted.