The way water services are delivered is changing, and councils in the Wellington region are seeking community feedback on the best way forward.

Porirua City Council today approved consultation on a proposed new model for water services delivery, alongside its Annual Plan consultation (https://poriruacity.govt.nz/your-council/news/porirua-city-to-consult-on-rates-increase-starting-point-of-675/).

After decades of underinvestment, councils around the country face stark challenges to meet the investment needed to ensure safe and reliable drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater supply and infrastructure.

Significant work is urgently needed, with an estimated 21 per cent of the region’s water infrastructure worn out, and around 40 per cent of water being wasted through leaks.

Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says water problems were clearly evident around the region.

"As well as leaks, we’ve had summer water shortages, none of our wastewater plants are reliably compliant and waterways are in poor condition," she says.

Councils have traditionally delivered drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services, but are constrained by not being able to raise enough money through debt or rates to cover the significant levels of investment needed.

In December 2023 the Government announced a new direction for water policy and legislation called Local Water Done Well. It requires councils across the country to decide, alongside their communities, what approach they will take to delivering water services.

In our region, five councils have agreed to work together - Porirua City, Hutt City, Upper Hutt City, Wellington City councils and Greater Wellington Regional Council - together with mana whenua partners Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika.

The councils have agreed, subject to community feedback, that establishing a multi-council-owned water organisation is the best way to deliver water services in the future. Each council will be consulting separately on this proposal starting in March 2025.

Under this preferred model, a new organisation would own and operate public drinking water, wastewater and stormwater networks.

The new organisation would own all the pipes and infrastructure, would be able to borrow more than councils to help fund water services, and would bill and communicate with customers directly.

The consultation will also consider a second option - a modified version of the current Wellington Water model. Under this model, the water networks would still be owned by councils, funded by rates and subject to the limited debt levels set for councils.

Mayor Baker said recent reports into Wellington Water’s operations highlighted the urgent need for change.

"The results show we need to fix water services once and for all," she says.

"This is the reason we need change, and why I have consistently been a supporter of water services reform.

"The Wellington Water model is past its use-by date. It has not worked as intended and we need to move to a more mature and accountable model that will serve us into the future."

Mayor Baker said a critical issue for households and businesses will be how much water services will cost under each model, and how it can be made more affordable.

"Under both options, it’s inevitable that the cost of water services will increase, given the poor state of our infrastructure and the backlog of investment needed. Working together through the multi-council-owned approach will keep the increases lower due to the scale of the new organisation and its ability to raise more debt.

"Based on our modelling, the preferred option will be one-third less costly than the modified status quo. This is one of the key reasons that the new organisation is the five councils’ preferred way forward."

Following consultation, councillors will consider all the feedback and make their final decision on a new delivery model.

Consultation runs from 20 March to 20 April. You can have your say, from 20 March, here: https://haveyoursay.poriruacity.govt.nz/

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