Water Services

We provide safe and potable water supplies via nine urban and two rural water supply schemes. We also have extensive wastewater and stormwater systems throughout the district.

We provide constant, sustainable and high quality water to communities throughout the Peninsula. Due to the geography and location of townships, we operate nine water treatment plants to achieve this. 

You may hear us talk about water demand management. This means looking at the water cycle as a whole and managing its use in the most environmentally sustainable and cost-effective way possible.

Ways we can reduce water consumption and wastage are now addressed in our Water Demand Strategy.

There is a great deal that we - the Council and the consumer - can do together to preserve this precious resource and reduce our impact on the natural environment.

The process starts with collecting water from the natural environment.  We are permitted, through appropriate resource consents to collect raw water from streams in Thames, Coromandel, Whitianga, Matarangi, Tairua and Pauanui. We also take raw water from Puriri, Omahu and Matatoki but these raw water intakes receive only limited treatment.

In Whangamata, Hahei and Onemana, groundwater is abstracted through bores.  Varying levels of treatment are used.

Groundwater also supplements supplies at Pauanui and Matarangi.

The water systems also provide water for fire fighting. Without an adequate water supply, the fire fighting service would be unable to do their jobs and public health and safety would be at risk.

The statistics

  • Average daily use 13 million litres per day
  • Rising to 25 million litres per day in peak summer

Our goal

Our goal is to provide adequate and safe water for both drinking and fire fighting purposes and the promotion of water conservation.

We provide adequate, safe and potable water supplies via nine urban water supply schemes throughout this district.

Urban Schemes:
  1. Thames
  2. Coromandel
  3. Matarangi
  4. Whitianga
  5. Hahei
  6. Tairua
  7. Pauanui
  8. Onemana
  9. Whangamata
Rural Schemes:

Other rural schemes where potable water is not provided and point of use treatment is recommended are:

  1. Thames Valley including Puriri, Omahu, Wharepoa and Hikutaia.
  2. Matatoki

These schemes also provide adequate pressure to ensure water supply for fire fighting, with the exception of Thames Valley and Matatoki.

We also promote efficient water use and ensure that water demand management practices are implemented.  Ways we can reduce water consumption and wastage are now addressed in our Water Demand Strategy, which was adopted by Council 19 September 2017.


Your Community’s Water Sources

  • Thames Urban 
    Mangarehu Stream and Kauaeranga River
  • Coromandel 
    Karaka Stream and Waiau Stream
  • Matarangi
    Opitonui River and groundwater
  • Whitianga
    Whangamaroro River
  • Hahei 
    Groundwater bore
  • Tairua 
    Pepe Stream and Tributary
  • Pauanui
    Oturu Stream and groundwater bores
  • Onemana 
    Groundwater bores
  • Whangamata
    Groundwater bores at Wentworth Valley, Beverley Hills and Moana Point
  • Thames Valley 
    Omahu (supplies Omahu, Wharepoa and Hikutaia) and Apakura Stream (supplies Puriri)
  • Matatoki
    Matatoki Stream