Waitaki District Council decides to keep water services in-house

Tuesday, 8 July 2025

The Waitaki District Council voted in favour of an in-house water services delivery unit for a minimum of the next two years and to exit the Southern Water Done Well partnership. (File photo)

The Waitaki District Council has decided to keep its water services in-house, having earlier indicated a preference to join three other southern councils.

On Tuesday, council voted in favour of an in-house water services delivery unit for a minimum of the next two years and to exit the Southern Water Done Well partnership.

Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher said Tuesday’s decision was subject to the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) reviewing and approving the Water Services Delivery Plan (WSDP).

Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher thanked the community, the councillors, council officers and partner councils in the Southern Water Done Well group, in announcing the council’s decision to keep water services in-house. (File photo)

“I’d like to thank the community for sharing their opinion, the councillors for their consideration of this important topic, our officers for the hard work they’ve put in over the last 12 months, and our partner councils in the Southern Water Done Well group,” Kircher said.

The council’s Southern Water Done Well consultation ran from May 6 to June 9 and received 300 submissions.

The council’s preferred option of joining the Southern Water Group, a joint Council-Controlled Organisation [CCO] with the Clutha, Central Otago and Gore district councils saw support from 44 respondents (14.67%).

Meanwhile, 161 respondents favoured an in-house business unit (53.67%), 64 favoured a standalone Waitaki CCO (21.33%), and 30 preferred joining South Canterbury councils (10%). One submitter made no choice.

In outlining the reasons for its decision, the council said feedback from the community, the Local Government (Water Services) Bill legislation yet to be passed by Parliament, and a desire to retain local control had played a part.

It said the decision also took into account modelling of the options, analysis of the modelling, information provided by the Minister of Local Government Simon Watts, and the content of the submissions received.

The council also agreed to further discuss the future management of water at a later workshop, exploring key themes, and looking at various models adopted by other councils – including exploring the possibility of a future shared services/joint CCO approach with South Canterbury councils.

The WSDP for an in-house unit, would be brought back to council for consideration, approval and certification by the chief executive.

The WSDP would need to be submitted to DIA by September 3.