Waikato District Council joins Waikato Waters Done Well

Tuesday, 10 September 2024

Waikato District Council has agreed to work with other Waikato councils on a shared waters entity.

Waikato District Council has taken the first step towards supporting a proposed joint waters entity for Waikato councils across the region.

Faced with increasing financial and non-financial challenges surrounding waters, Waikato’s ten councils have been talking about how to cooperate more closely over water services.

A release on Monday confirmed that seven councils have now committed, leaving three to decide.

Waikato District Council have put a tentative foot forward, confirming a non-binding agreement to support the recommendations of the Waikato Waters Done Well report.

Following queries from councillor David Whyte at a council meeting on Monday about council’s confidence in a scaled approach to waters, Waikato District Council chief executive Gavin Ion shared examples of similar programmes which have worked.

Waikato Waters Done Well hopes to involve 10 Waikato councils in a shared water entity.

“There are international examples that demonstrate the benefits of scale, one being Scottish Water,” Ion said.

Scottish Water is an entity which maintains the water services of all of Scotland. It was founded in 2002, and has been widely considered successful.

The three Waikato councils left to make a call on their part in Waikato Waters Done Well are Matamata-Piako District Council, South Waikato District Council and Hamilton City Council.

Matamata-Piako District Council chief executive Don McLeod, who has taken a leading role in Waikato Waters Done Well, said that while Matamata-Piako’s decision is yet to come he’s confident they will join the mission.

However Hamilton City Council is looking a little reluctant, and has been advised to instead consider a stand-alone option.

McLeod said Waikato Waters Done Well will go ahead with or without Hamilton.

“Whatever call Hamilton makes to deal with its own pressing issues, we will respect that and get on with building a regional model,” McLeod said.

Stage one of a Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) wastewater treatment plant for Te Kauwhata was unveiled in February 2024.

“We need to put a framework in place quickly to deliver better water infrastructure, faster and [more] cost-effectively for ratepayers. We simply must be a lot smarter in how we spend money. That’s what this is all about.”

He said even without Hamilton, there was still enough scale for a streamlined waters entity for the other Waikato councils.

“With a large number of councils looking at potentially joining up, we’re talking about providing water services to a substantial population, more than 320,000, across a very big piece of the region.

“With ongoing goodwill and long-term thinking from the councils involved, we will be able to make huge in-roads in addressing the massive challenges ahead.

“It will take time, of course, but the current system is fundamentally broken. There is no argument about that. This is a hugely important step towards substantive and I believe, positive change.”

The entity is expected to save around $338 million over a decade.

South Waikato District Council has held a workshop for its elected members to better understand Waikato Waters Done Well, and hopes to make a decision soon.

Waikato councils have budgeted nearly $5 billion for drinking water, stormwater and wastewater for capital works over the next decade. All up, including operating costs, water services will cost more than $7.5 billion.

Council chief executives keen on a regional entity will now negotiate a non-binding Heads of Agreement to be formally ratified by each participating council. That draft agreement would be back in front of councils by the end of October.