Waitomo District Council will join with other local authorities in the Waikato region to continue the development of an option to jointly deliver waters services into the future.

Elected Members agreed on Tuesday to enter into a Heads of Agreement as part of ‘Waikato Waters Done Well (WWDW)’.

WWDW is a project that has supported participating councils to identify collective water services challenges and facilitate in co-designing a region-wide water services delivery model.

The decision commits us to working with other councils in the Waikato to investigate the establishment of a council-controlled organisation (CCO) to deliver water and wastewater services in the future.

Under the Government’s Local Waters Done Well legislation, all councils are required to produce a water services delivery plan by September 2025, with a focus on ensuring future delivery is financially sustainable and meets quality standards.

WDC was presented with detailed analysis of several of the options available to them, including an in-house water services approach. Status quo is less than likely to be considered viable under the Government’s new framework for delivery.

Chief Executive Ben Smit says the decision means there is potential for councils to work together to design sustainable and affordable waters delivery for the wider Waikato into the future.

“The Heads of Agreement is about ensuring that our council and the greater Waikato is set up to deliver what our communities need in the future.

“This will be a long journey, and the benefits won’t be realised overnight, but we will work hard to ensure the best outcome for our communities."

Mayor John Robertson says the Heads of Agreement received unanimous support around the table.

“A really important milestone has been reached – an option for a collective Waikato wide model for the delivery of public water services that all elected members felt they could support. 

“This will be shaped into one of the options that we consult with the community on next year.”

Consultation with the community on the future delivery of water services will be held in April 2025.