Local Water Done Well consultation

Feedback closes at 5:00pm on Friday 2 May 2025.

A graphic illustration in black, white and blue with the words

We want your feedback on options we have investigated for the future delivery of Whangārei's water services.  

Water reforms and Local Water Done Well 

Across the nation, councils are facing big challenges relating to the delivery of drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services, grappling with rising construction costs, ageing infrastructure and the increasing demands of our growing population.  

Local Water Done Well is an approach introduced by the Coalition Government to replace the previous Government’s Three Waters reform programme, and address New Zealand’s long-standing water issues.  

It empowers communities and councils to determine how their water services will be delivered in the future, while meeting increased regulations, supporting growth and urban development, and being financially sustainable. 

It also encourages councils to work with neighbouring districts on solutions that could benefit larger regions.  

Councils have been investigating options and must consult with the public, before submitting a Water Services Delivery Plan to Government before 3 September 2025.

Options for Whangārei District

We are seeking public feedback on the following options:

Option 1 (our preferred option): In-house business unit with increased collaboration with Northland councils

This option would see the delivery of water services remain within Council as a business unit, rather than the establishment of a new organisation. The business unit would be responsible to the elected Council members, with established Council governance oversight, and the delivery of services would be accountable to the public through usual local democracy practices. 

This option means we would retain local ownership and control of our assets, we wouldn’t need to fund any Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) set-up costs, nor would we need to cross-subsidise other parts of Northland’s water costs. 

While we believe this option is the best for Whangārei right now, we also see that a multi-council CCO has potential benefits for Northland. With this in mind, we will work with Kaipara District Council to investigate managed or shared service opportunities in the short term, which will likely involve sharing professional services like project delivery and asset management.  

At the same time, we will work alongside Kaipara District Council and Far North District Council to further investigate how a Northland CCO could work in the mid-term (the next three to five years).

Under this option, our debt is proposed to increase, however we would remain well below our debt limits. 

You can read more about the pros and cons of this option in the consultation document. 

Option 2: Northland Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) with Kaipara District Council and Far North District Council (drinking water and wastewater only)

This option would see the creation of an external, council controlled water organisation, jointly owned by Whangārei District Council, Kaipara District Council and Far North District Council. Governance of this organisation would be independent from Council, with a competency-based board appointed, and the three councils making up 100% of shareholdings.  

The organisation would be responsible for, and limited to, the provision of water supply and wastewater services, preparing its own strategy, and asset management plans. It would be financially independent from Council, making its own investment decisions.  

Stormwater assets would likely remain Council owned with the CCO managing the services on the councils’ behalf. This is because many critical parts of the system are shared across other services too. For example, roads drain stormwater during heavy rain, and green spaces in parks and reserves are designed to capture excess water where possible. 

We would anticipate the new CCO would maintain the same high level of service delivery our District enjoys today. However, at this current time, a multi-council Northland CCO would mean Whangārei would need to cross-subsidise water costs for the rest of Northland and would carry higher amounts of debt than Option 1. 

Before making any final decisions, we would like to know your views, which will help ensure our Water Service Delivery Plan best suits our community’s needs.

Consultation document

Please read the full consultation document here:

Local Water Done Well consultation document(PDF, 512KB)

Give us your feedback

Please send us your feedback by 5:00pm on Friday 2 May 2025.

Online

Complete the online feedback form.

Local Water Done Well online feedback form

By email

Step 1: Download the form, print and complete it by hand.

Local Water Done Well feedback form(PDF, 56KB)

Step 2: Email us

Attach the form to an email and send to:

WaterConsult@wdc.govt.nz

By post

Step 1: Download the form, print and complete it by hand.

Local Water Done Well feedback form(PDF, 56KB)

Step 2: Post the completed form to:

Local Water Done Well feedback 

Whangarei District Council 
Private Bag 9023
Te Mai
Whangārei 0143

  

In person

Step 1: Download the form, print and complete it by hand.

Local Water Done Well feedback form(PDF, 56KB)

Step 2: Bring the completed form into one of our Customer Service centres:

Te Iwitahi
9 Rust Avenue, Whangārei
Hours: Monday to Friday – 8:00am to 4:30pm
Closed public holidays

Ruakākā service centre 
9 Takutai Place, Ruakākā
Hours: Monday to Friday – 8:30am to 4:00pm
Closed public holidays

By phone

Call us and one of our friendly Customer Service staff will fill out this form for you over the phone. 

Local Water Done Well feedback form(PDF, 56KB)

Phone: 09 430 4200 or 0800 932 463 

Telephone submissions can be made during business hours between Wednesday 2 April and Friday 2 May 2025. 

For more information about Local Water Done Well, visit the Department of Internal Affairs website:  

Water Services Policy and Legislation (dia.govt.nz)

Hard-copy documents are available (for inspection only) at: 

  • Te Iwitahi (civic centre), 9 Rust Avenue, Whangārei 
  • Ruakākā Service Centre, 9 Takutai Place, Ruakākā 
  • Whangārei Central Library, 5 Rust Avenue, Whangārei 
  • Kamo Library, 583 Kamo Road, Te Kamo 
  • Onerahi Library, 159 Onerahi Road, Onerahi 
  • Tikipunga Library, 83 Paramount Parade, Tikipunga. 

Please ensure that you provide appropriate contact details so that we can respond to you following the conclusion of the process.

All submissions are considered public under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act and may be published and made available to elected members and the public.

The collection and use of personal information by Whangarei District Council is regulated by the Privacy Act 2020.

Privacy Statement

Your submission will not be returned to you once it is lodged with Council. Please keep a copy for your reference.