The following is a summary of the key events and work to date:
A more detailed summary is available in a report and attached correspondence with central government included in the agenda of Council's Risk and Assurance Committee meeting held on 19 August 2025.
- October 2024: Council hires consultants MartinJenkins to provide technical advice on LWDW. MartinJenkins has also been providing advice to the government on LWDW and is well qualified to advise our Council as well. Along with the Council team and project manager M Consulting Ltd, MartinJenkins has provided a comprehensive analysis of our Council's current and long-term position on water services (drinking water, stormwater and wastewater) delivery. The long-term position was based on our 2024-2034 Long Term Plan.
- 10 December 2024: Staff presented Council with an assessment report from MartinJenkins on future water services delivery and as a result of this assessment two options were shortlisted:
- Internal business unit or division within TCDC (preferred)
- Regional/sub-regional asset-owning water organisation with potential partners including Hamilton City Council, Tauranga City Council, and the grouping of six councils called Waikato Water Done Well.
The initial preference was noted as an in-house business unit or division within TCDC at this point primarily due to the low debt levels and good condition of assets. Council instructed staff to progress with more detailed assessments of these shortlisted options, with a view to gather more data before consultation documents are finalised.
At the 10 December meeting Council also resolved to establish a LWDW working group consisting of Mayor Len Salt, Deputy Mayor Terry Walker and Councillor John Grant to assist staff to develop recommendations to support development of the options.
Much work is done with potential partners for a joint Water Services Organisation (WSO) in order to inform the coming public consultation (a legal requirement) on Council's future water services delivery. This work is outlined in the 19 August 2025 report to our Risk and Assurance Committee noted above.
- 8 April 2025: Council approves the consultation document - the guide for members of the public to provide Council with feedback. The consultation document outlines two options:
- Internal business unit or division within TCDC
- Joint sub-regional WSO, noting three options are still available (preferred option)
- 15 April to 15 May 2025: Community consultation held on the above two options. 241 feedback submissions were received, with 51% in favour of a joint WSO, 46% preferring the internal business unit model. Altogether, 69% of submitters said their key consideration was affordabaility.
- 24 June 2025: Council decides to progress with the development of a WSDP based on a joint WSO with Tauranga City Council (TCC) and Western Bay of Plenty District Council (WBOPDC). Our analysis and financial modelling conducted over the previous months strongly indicated savings of $500 per ratepayer per year by 2034 through this model.
- 5 August 2025: TCC and WBOPDC both vote to adopt alternative water service delivery models. TCC decides to proceed with an in-house water services unit before exploring forming a joint WSO with other councils at some point in the future. WBOPDC votes to form a joint WSO with TCC but not TCDC, reflecting concerns about Treaty of Waitangi settlement issues involving iwi and hapu local to each area.
- 15 August 2025: TCC rescinds their 5 August decision and votes in favour of forming a joint WSO with WBOPDC and TCDC, but with TCDC's inclusion to be subject to WBOPDC's approval. Later that day, WBOPDC votes to form a joint WSO with TCC but not TCDC.
- 28 August 2025: Our Council is scheduled (postponed from the original date of 20 August) to discuss and adopt a WSDP based on forming an in-house water services delivery unit, while also leaving the door open to support iwi on on the Treaty settlement issues of concern. This is in order to allow our Council to join TCC and WBOPDC in their due diligence process for the proposed joint WSO.
In amongst all these decision points, our Council held workshops, discussions and correspondence with TCC, WBOPDC and the government. A full record of this is available in the report to the Risk and Assurance Committee meeting of 19 August 2025, linked above.