Tararua mayor confident Waitī Waters puts district in ‘stronger position’
Thursday, 23 April 2026
The new organisation for managing water infrastructure in Tararua and Wairarapa has been launched, and will spend the next 15 months preparing to provide more sustainable services.
Waitī Waters would put the Tararua district in a “stronger position” to navigate growing costs and complexities associated with water services and infrastructure, mayor Scott Gilmore said.
Gilmore said working with “our Wairarapa neighbours” through the Local Waters Done Well reform allowed the council to focus on delivering “smarter” and “more sustainable” water services for its communities.
Gilmore called it a “common-sense approach” to water services for Tararua which had only come together successfully due to “huge effort” from those involved.
Waitī Waters would cover four districts – Masterton, Carterton, South Wairarapa and Tararua – with operations beginning July 1, 2027.
Current infrastructure for Waitī Waters covers the four districts and includes 1322km of pipes, 14 reservoirs of fresh water, pump stations, as well as water and wastewater treatment plants.
From July 2027, the entity would manage water assets valued at about $700 million, and it would manage a capital investment programme over 10 years of $400 million.
Despite Tararua’s place in the Horizons region, the district did not join Palmerston North, Horowhenua and Rangitīkei in Central Districts Water.
The Manawatū district, unlike others in the region, would manage its own water services after the Department of Internal Affairs approved its standalone, in-house approach.
Waitī Waters was launched in Masterton earlier this month, with inaugural chairwoman Adrienne Young-Cooper acknowledging the work done by councils and iwi partners to move the entity from legal establishment to an operational transition phase.
Experienced as former chairwoman of the Wairarapa economic development strategy group, Young-Cooper said this regional work had been done in response to Local Water Done Well and community feedback.
The stakeholders forum would oversee operations and consisted of a representative from each of the district councils, and iwi representatives from Rangitāne and Ngāti Kahungunu.
Chairman of the stakeholders forum Craig Bowyer, who was also Masterton’s deputy mayor, said these changes in the water reform space would benefit all communities involved.
The board would work over the next 15 months to establish the organisation and transition existing council water services to Waitī Waters.
The organisation was named in consultation with mana whenua to ensure it captured the importance of the waterways and the partnerships formed through the establishment of the new entity.
“Waitī” was chosen for its connection to the Matariki star associated with fresh water, highlighting the significance of waterways, the life it sustains, and its wellbeing to the organisation.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.