Local Water Done Well update

Elected members have approved a Rotorua Lakes Council Water Services Delivery Plan to be submitted for approval as part of the Government’s Local Water Done Well legislation.

Councils are required to submit a water services delivery plan to the Department of Internal Affairs for approval.

This plan is a one-off transitional requirement and must:

• Include the council’s planned water services delivery model;
• Outline how the council will meet the new financial and regulatory requirements under Local Water Done Well;
• Identify the current state of water services;
• Be financially sustainable;
• Ensure all drinking water quality standards will be met;
• Support housing growth and urban development specified in the long-term plan.

Council confirmed its service delivery model in June: maintaining water services in-house until July 2028 and then transitioning to a multi-council water services CCO (WSCCO), subject to a final decision of the Council of the day in 2027.

Mayor Tania Tapsell, who chaired today’s meeting, says keeping services in-house while work was undertaken to determine if there are benefits in joining with other councils to deliver water services provides reassurance to the Rotorua community.

“We have time to truly determine if there will be benefits to being part of a multi-council waters CCO and we will proceed with caution.”

Mayor Tapsell noted that any potential to save costs to ratepayers should be considered.

A working group consisting of elected members from Rotorua, Kawerau, Whakatane and Opotiki will evaluate and deliver a WSCCO model with other councils to be invited to join the discussions if they wish.

The proposed service delivery model in the Water Services Delivery Plan meets financial sustainability requirements:

• Projected waters revenue is sufficient to cover the costs of delivering water services, including sufficient infrastructure investment, and meeting increased regulatory requirements.
• The proposed level of investment is sufficient to meet levels of services, regulatory requirements and provide for growth. In addition, the proposed level of investment can be fully funded from projected revenues.
• The projected council borrowings are within Council borrowing limits and meet associated LGFA covenants.

It also enables the council to conduct a detailed assessment of the advantages of a multi-Council WSCCO, allows time for engagement with mana whenua and the community, allows the council to learn from other councils that set up WSCCOs and aligns with the Government’s direction that councils pursue multi-council WSCCOs.

View the full report that was considered by Council today by going to p12 of the meeting agenda.

View the Water Services Delivery Plan that was approved today at the following link: Water Services Delivery Plan template

You can view the discussion and decision-making from today’s Council meeting at THIS LINK in the recording of the livestreamed meeting.

Find out more about Local Water Done Well at the following link on Council’s website: Local Water Done Well - Rotorua Lakes Council