Matamata-Piako dips toe into Waikato Waters Done Well

Thursday, 10 October 2024

The idea behind Waikato Waters Done Well is a multi-council entity for managing drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services.

Matamata-Piako is keen to push on with designing a Waikato waters entity but, unlike some councils in the region, its biggest risk isn’t financial.

'We've got the money to do the work,“ Mayor Adrienne Wilcock said at a recent meeting. ”Our staffing is the greatest risk… Water is a critical element that we provide and if we don't have the staff to deliver it, that's where we're at our greatest risk. I cannot understate that.'

It could take six months or more to replace staff in certain positions, chief executive Don McLeod told councillors.

He recommended continuing to explore the Waikato Water Done Well initiative in a report to councillors for the September meeting. After plenty of discussion, they agreed.

‘Water is a critical element that we provide and if we don't have the staff to deliver it, that's where we're at our greatest risk,’ Matamata-Piako District Mayor Adrienne Wilcock told fellow elected members.

The idea is a multi-council entity for managing drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services.

With an estimated $7.5 billion needed for water services across the Waikato over the next decade, Matamata-Piako District Council and other councils are looking at ways to pool resources and expertise.

'How many councils have agreed to investigate this?“ Councillor Caleb Ansell asked. ”I assume we are joining a majority?'

'Yeah absolutely,“ McLeod replied. 'I wouldn't suggest that all councils will come out the end of it agreeing to go to the next step beyond that but, at this stage it's really heartening.“

This table - showing average water charge projections for Waikato councils and their relative affordability - prompted plenty of debate in a Matamata-Piako District Council meeting.

A table showing big differences between councils in projected 2035 water charges prompted plenty of questions.

Ōtorohanga had the lowest projected average ($1652) and highest in Waikato District ($7921), leading to questions about plant upgrades needed by other councils and concerns about cross-subsidisation.

'We look okay here,“ Councillor Dayne Horne said. ”It's a lot of money we need to spend, fine, but we've got nowhere near the problems a lot of the other people have.'

Judging by the table, about half of the councils “aren’t really going to want to have any kind of conversation that… at some point we’re going to have one big pot of money,” he said.

Financial benefits weren’t the only reason to join forces, McLeod told councillors.

Having one organisation could give councils more clout and streamline processes such as designing and getting consent for new water treatment plants.

Councillor Horne imagined a situation where each council put in half a million dollars, for a consultant “to design one unit that works across the board and then [the entity] hands that out to everybody, and they get 10 times the value'.

Matamata-Piako District councillors have agreed to take part in the design of a shared waters entity for Waikato.

McLeod also suggested a joint approach would hep in dealing with the water regulator, workforce development and training, and in procurement arrangements with suppliers.

Councillor Sue Whiting said she wouldn’t be disappointed if Hamilton and Waikato did their own thing with waters.

“They are not keen to play with us … Actually, looking at [the table of charges] if you took those ones out we are all sort of so so.'

Matamata-Piako District isn’t in the situation of growth councils Hamilton, Waikato and Waipā, whose debt levels are getting close to borrowing limits, McLeod’s report said.

However, the district’s debt levels have risen and “must do” water services are driving much of this.

Matamata-Piako’s projected capital investment over the next decade is more than $216m, his report said.

Councillors agreed to keep going with Waikato Waters Done Well by participating in the design of a shared waters entity.

They also agreed to adopt its vision, outcomes and success measures in principle.

McLeod’s next step was to negotiate a non-binding Heads of Agreement for participating councils to sign.

Councils already have some other homework from the Government under Local Water Done Well.

They must provide a water services delivery plan by August 2025, covering their current water services, how they’ll be kept financially sustainable, meeting standards and keeping up with housing growth and urban development, McLeod’s report said.

The research component of this story was assisted by AI, overseen and checked by senior journalists.