Council prefers in-house delivery of water services

Rotorua Lakes Council has identified keeping water services in-house as its preferred option and will seek community feedback before making a final decision in December.

At its meeting today [23 September], Council agreed to consult on continuing to deliver drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services through an internal Council business unit.

The preferred option follows a joint investigation with Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki and Kawerau councils into the potential establishment of an asset-owning multi-council water services council-controlled organisation (WSCCO).

The investigation found Rotorua is well positioned to continue delivering water services in-house, while also identifying potential longer-term benefits from a multi-council WSCCO.

No final decision has been made.

Community consultation will run from 1 to 30 October, giving people the opportunity to provide feedback on Council’s preferred in-house option and the alternative multi-council model.

Elected members will consider community feedback alongside the investigation findings before making a final decision in early December.

Elected members heard today that Ōpōtiki has deferred making a decision until it knows the outcome of the local government reforms Head Start process while Whakatāne will consult on its preferred option, a multi-council WSCCO. Kawerau is yet to make its decision on a preferred option.

Go to p18 of today’s meeting agenda to read the full report on this matter.

Related documents can be found at the following link: Attachments of Council Meeting - Wednesday, 23 September 2026 (see the list of documents for the five documents related to Local Water Done Well). The available documents include the full report outlining the investigation of the joint councils' working group and its findings.

View the presentation slides relating to this matter at the following link on Council’s website: PRESENTATION | Water Service Delivery Consultation | 23 September 2026 | (PDF, 3.6MB)

You can go directly to this part of the recording of the meeting, which was livestreamed, via this link

You’ll be able to view consultation material once it goes live on Council’s community engagement platform Participate on 1 October.

For more information about Local Water Done Well see the following link on Council's website: Local Water Done Well - Rotorua Lakes Council