TCDC Water Services Delivery Plan accepted

Thames-Coromandel District Council’s Water Services Delivery Plan has been accepted by the Government as we continue to progress with Local Water Done Well changes. 

This plan sets out how our Council intends to deliver water, wastewater, and stormwater services over a 10-year period from 01 July 2027. 

Councils across New Zealand have been required to consider how they will deliver these services and implement a plan as part of the Government’s Local Water Done Well legislation. 

Following community consultation in April 2025 and conversations with Tauranga City Council (TCC) and Western Bay of Plenty District Council (WBOPDC), our Council chose to pursue a regional partnership with these two councils to form a joint Water Services Organisation (WSO). However, in August 2025 Western Bay of Plenty District Council elected to partner solely with Tauranga City Council. As a result, our Council opted to pursue an in-house business unit instead - as this was our community’s second most preferred option - while still leaving our options open for a joint WSO in the future. 

On 1 September 2025, our Council submitted its plan to the Department of Internal affairs, in line with the requirements set by the Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Act 2024. The plan was based on sustainably delivering future Three Waters services in the district via an in-house business unit. 

A 10 November 2025 letter, from Secretary for Local Government Paul James to Council Chief Executive Aileen Lawrie advised acceptance of the plan. 

In the letter, Mr James acknowledged the challenges our Council faced with “a late change in direction and the subsequent level of detail and time that has been put into developing its plan” and our Council appreciates this acknowledgement. 

Council Chief Executive Aileen Lawrie says, “having the plan accepted without amendment, is quite a feat given the deadlines set by the legislation and the last-minute changes we had to make because of the change in circumstances with the other councils. 

“Our Council will now work to establish the in-house business unit as well as continue to implement the delivery of projects needed to achieve regulatory compliance; delivery of the capital projects programme; and the pricing strategy.” 

“We will continue to explore a potential joint Water Services Organisation with TCC and WBOPDC as well as other regional options. A regional partnership model was favoured by our communities during consultation.”  

The letter from the Secretary for Local Government; the approved Water Services Delivery Plan; and background to how our Council got to this point are available on out Council’s Local Water Done Well webpage.