HCC – Three Waters Reform (survey closes 5pm Wednesday 13 April 2022

As you might be aware, the Government is proposing to reform how three waters services are managed and delivered across Aotearoa New Zealand. Currently, these services – drinking water, waste water, and storm water – are delivered by 67 councils, and the Government is proposing to consolidate these services under 4 publicly-owned entities instead.

We all need reliable access to safe drinking water, and we also have a responsibility to look after our environment. These reforms have been proposed following the death of four people in Havelock North in 2016, where 35 people were also hospitalised and many more fell ill after consuming contaminated water. Analysis by the government suggests that some parts of the country have seen decades of underinvestment in three waters infrastructure, and the bill to fix and maintain these networks is now too large for many councils to afford.

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