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're inviting 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 can have your say
Read our consultation documentRead our consultation document to understand the options and their advantages and disadvantages, as well as what future water charges could cost customers. You can let us know who you think should manage and make decisions about your water services by:
completing our online survey (preferred)
attending one of our drop-in sessions – see dates and times
printing the submission form to complete and drop into our services centres, libraries, or email it to HaveYourSay@kapiticoast.govt.nz
posting your thoughts to Local Water Done Well consultation, Private Bag 60601, Paraparaumu 5254.
Consultation closes at midnight Sunday 13 April 2025.
Additional factsheets and useful information
- A video message from the mayor
- Kāpiti Coast: Our water snapshot factsheet
- Need to know: Local water done well - our options factsheet
- Our six priorities for future water services delivery
- Discounted options and detailed documentation
- Water services policy and legislation (Department of Internal Affairs)
- Frequently asked questions
Join our webinar on Monday 24 March
Join Mayor Janet Holborow and our water experts for a Zoom webinar at 5.30pm on Monday 24 March to hear more about this consultation and the chance to ask questions. Register for the webinar – you'll need a Zoom account to watch the webinar live.
Please submit your questions ahead of our webinar for us to consider. You'll also be able to ask questions live using the Q&A feature, but with limited time, we may not be able to answer all of them.
This webinar will be recorded and uploaded to this page within 24–48 hours for those who are unable to attend.
What happens next?
You can elect to speak to your submission at hearings scheduled for Thursday 1 May by checking the box in the submission form. All submissions will be taken into consideration when Council makes a final decision on future water services delivery on Thursday 22 May.
In June, Council will adopt a water services delivery plan outlining how the new entity will be governed and operate. This must be delivered to the Government by Wednesday 3 September 2025.
Once the Government approves the plan, implementation of the new water services organisation will be well under way. Government has given a deadline of July 2028 for all new arrangements to be in place.
Keen to stay updated?
Register to join the conversation, and sign up for Everything Kāpiti, to get the latest on what's happening across our district straight to your inbox – including events, grant funding opportunities for youth, and other ways you can get involved.
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Our six priorities for future water delivery
Share Our six priorities for future water delivery on Facebook Share Our six priorities for future water delivery on Twitter Share Our six priorities for future water delivery on Linkedin Email Our six priorities for future water delivery linkWe believe Kāpiti wants a water services delivery model that serves local priorities and meets our community's needs now, in emergencies and for generations to come.
Key points to consider:
- Kāpiti needs investment of $1.132 billion on major water projects over the next 30 years.
- We currently spend an average of $13.8 million a year for maintenance and supply.
- We need to plan for 22,000 more people by 2054.
- As our water infrastructure ages, we’ll need to start increasing our network renewals from 2040 onwards.
- We’ll need to mitigate the impact of climate change and upgrade our stormwater networks to cope with increased flooding.
We've identified six priorities to help guide our decision on how we should deliver water services under the Government's Local Water Done Well programme. We'd like to know which of these priorities matter most to you when considering your water services delivery and ask you to rank these in the submission form.
Public ownership
Our water assets remain in public ownership
Safe and reliable water services
Our community continues to receive safe, reliable, efficient and effective water services
Mana whenua aspirations
Mana whenua aspirations and concepts have meaningful influence in managing our water
Financially sound
Our water services are financially sustainable and maintain affordable, fair and transparent charging for customers
Local priorities
Our water services organisation recognises local priorities in planning for the future and catering for growth
Resilience
Our water services organisation is resilient – it remains strong and functional in all circumstances.
Read about how the options compare against our priorities in our Need to know: Local Water Done Well factsheet.
Videos
Consultation document and useful information
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Consultation document – Local Water Done Well (1.7 MB) (pdf)
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Submission form (print version) – Local Water Done Well (241 KB) (pdf)
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Need to know Factsheet – Local Water Done Well (104 KB) (pdf)
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Kāpiti Coast – Our water snapshot factsheet (121 KB) (pdf)
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Discounted options factsheet (402 KB) (pdf)
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Detailed list of options briefings and papers
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Water services policy and legislation – Department of Internal Affairs
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Water Services Delivery Plans the process future requirements timing and practical considerations (Simpson Grierson presentation) November 2024 (2.31 MB) (pdf)
Who's Listening
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Kāpiti Coast District Council
