Waitomo District Mayor John Robertson is joining other mayors throughout the country in wanting further information from Central Government about the Three Waters Reform.

He says despite the release of information last Wednesday about the Government’s three waters proposals,  there’s still a lot of questions that need to be answered and he’s not yet convinced the reform will deliver what is being promised.

“We need more information around issues such as the transfer of three water infrastructure assets and what that will look like, cross-subsidisation, how will customers be billed, will water meters be introduced to areas that don’t have them. The list goes on,” says John.

“It’s hard to support a concept or proposal when you’re being drip-fed information and there’s still so much we don’t know – information our community deserves to know.

“Our community is relying on us to look out for their best interests and it’s important that our Council thinks hard about what is best for our community for the long term.” 

On 30 June, the Government announced it intends transferring management of drinking water, wastewater and stormwater from 67 independent councils to four large publicly-owned entities which would be governed by an independent board.

Waitomo District Council would be part of a central North Island entity involving 22 councils in the greater Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki and parts of Manawatu-Whanganui.

Boundaries will be confirmed in September 2021, following further discussion with councils and iwi. The change will not come into place until 2024 and councils will continue to manage its three waters assets until then.