Three Waters Reform

As you might be aware, the Government is proposing to reform how three waters services are managed and delivered across Aotearoa New Zealand. Currently, these services – drinking water, waste water, and storm water – are delivered by 67 councils, and the Government is proposing to consolidate these services under 4 publicly-owned entities instead.

We all need reliable access to safe drinking water, and we also have a responsibility to look after our environment. These reforms have been proposed following the death of four people in Havelock North in 2016, where 35 people were also hospitalised and many more fell ill after consuming contaminated water. Analysis by the government suggests that some parts of the country have seen decades of underinvestment in three waters infrastructure, and the bill to fix and maintain these networks is now too large for many councils to afford.

In April, we engaged with the Lower Hutt community to ask people to share their thoughts on three areas: impact of reforms on water infrastructure, support for the reforms, and priorities for water services.

On the right hand side of the page you can find the key engagement insights from our survey. You’ll also see FAQs and links to further resources and reading on the reforms.

Below you can find detailed financial information on the reforms with anticipated impacts on Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt.

The results of the survey will be considered as part of Council’s submission to Parliament once the legislation is introduced. We also encourage you to make your own submission to select committee at the same time: keep an eye on the three waters reform page on our website for updates.

The survey closed at 5pm Wednesday 13 April 2022.