Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton says Council needs to consider a range of issues in a compressed timeframe in deciding on how it plans to deliver future water services under the government’s 'Local Water Done Well' model.
Under the second stage of the LWDW legislation councils must develop a one-off 'Water Services Delivery Plan' (WSDP) for ministerial approval before September 2025. This plan, which can be developed independently or jointly with other councils, needs to outline how water services will be managed, meet required quality standards, and ensure financial sustainability.
Mayor Kirton noted that while Council has almost 12 months to submit our WSDP for Ministerial approval we need to decide in principle by the end of this year on whether we will submit our WSDP independently or in partnership with neighbouring councils.
"A key part of developing a WSDP is that we need to consult on options for water services delivery. We have five options to choose from being to either maintain our current in-house business unit, establish a council-owned council-controlled organisation (CCO), form a multi-council CCO with one or more of our neighbours, or adopt a mixed council/consumer trust or a full consumer trust model."
Once a decision has been made on the preferred option,Council will formally consult with the community early next year, comparing the current in-house model with at least one alternative. Mayor Kirton acknowledged that the timeframe for these decisions is tight given the complexity of the issues involved.
"We need to consider a range of factors, including the financial impact on water users, the views of iwi, and the strategic benefits or disadvantages of working with neighbouring councils," he said. "To help inform our decision-making, we are holding district and regional workshops with our iwi partners to discuss the options and share our thinking."
Mayor Kirton noted that in anticipation of the LWDW legislation, the Council had already been exploring various options. “Every option has its pros and cons, and there are still significant questions to be answered—particularly when it comes to multi-council arrangements.
Key considerations include how shareholding would be determined, how the delivery of services and charges would be influenced, iwi involvement, how debt would be shared, and whether stormwater would be included in the WSDP.” Mayor Kirton also pointed out that the new regulations will increase costs for end-users, regardless of whether Ruapehu goes it alone or partners with others.
"As we move forward, Ruapehu’s focus remains on delivering quality and value in water services to its communities. I encourage everyone to stay informed and get involved.
Council has a lot more information on our website: ruapehudc.govt.nz which we will be updating as things progress and we know more. Please ensure you have your say during the consultation on the proposed Water Services Entity model in the new year,” said Mayor Kirton.
*END*
