Local Water Done Well

Delivering water services has always been a core Council responsibility. Collectively known as "three waters", water supply, wastewater collection, treatment and discharge, and stormwater management are crucial to well-functioning and healthy communities.

The Government's new 'Local Water Done Well' policy and associated legislation requires all councils to consider how they will manage and deliver these services in the future. This is to ensure your drinking water remains safe to use, sources of drinking water are adequately protected, and your three waters are managed in financially sustainable ways.

One of our district's biggest decisions in decades

In Kāpiti, we're proud of our water services track record – we have safe, clean water, good infrastructure, well-run operations and great staff. While our current arrangements have served us well, we must think about what would be best for Kāpiti long-term, and if we'll benefit from economies of scale if we join forces with other councils.

We're required by Government to consult with our community on at least two options and submit a water services delivery plan by 3 September. Joining a wider Wellington region water services organisation has been discounted as the modelled costs to our ratepayers were more than double those of other options. Instead, we've been working with the Horowhenua, Manawatū and Palmerston North councils to see if joining with them would provide sufficient economies of scale and other efficiencies that would offer long-term benefits for our community. It’s important to note there’ll be increased costs regardless of what model we choose due to Government’s additional regulatory requirements and proposed levies.

What are our options?

We invited your feedback on two options for managing and making decisions on how our water services are delivered in future.

Option 1 – ‘The One’

Keeping our water services delivery in-house as we do now, but with additional effort and resourcing required to ensure we meet regulatory requirements. This is our preferred option.

Current number of connections: 24,663
Current population: 58,750

Modelled average cost to customers for all three water services:

• 2025 $1,645 per annum
• 2034 *$2,023 per annum
• 2054 *$2,749 per annum

* including inflation

Option 2 – ‘The Four’

A four council-owned water services organisation with Horowhenua, Palmerston North, and Manawatū. This option would require us to transfer our water assets to the new organisation of which Council would be a shareholder. .

Current number of connections: 71,212
Current population: 223,750

Modelled average cost to customers for all three water services:

• 2025 not applicable
• 2034 *$2,656 per annum
• 2054 *$2,594 per annum

* including inflation

How you could have your say