Waikato District Council has confirmed that it will be working with Hamilton City Council on designing a joint Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) to deliver water services, as part of the new Local Water Done Well reforms.
“This is a very important piece of work for Council, our priority is to ensure the best outcome we can for our residents and ratepayers, and that means we must do our due diligence carefully”, said Waikato District Council Mayor, Jacqui Church.
“As mayor, I am committed to fostering a spirit of collaboration and strong leadership to drive positive progress and truly ‘get stuff done’. This decision of council allows us to consider key options as we ensure that our communities receive quality water services that are effective, fit for purpose and under a lens of affordability.”
As previously signaled, Waikato District Council will continue to work as part of Waikato Water Done Well, looking at a wider-reaching CCO arrangement. Waikato Waters Done Well is a proposed joint waters entity for Waikato councils, with several councils committed to further discussions to progress this regional model for water services delivery. A third option also remains on the table – that of a singular Asset Owning CCO which Waikato District Council will own and manage alone.
Waikato District Council chief executive, Gavin Ion said “progressing all three options will give us the reassurance that we have fully assessed these scenarios, as we work to develop a solution that will best serve our community for the long-term. Regardless of the option we pursue, we are committed to working with our Iwi partners and involving the community in the decision-making process.”
New government reform reconfirms council ownership and control of water infrastructure and services. New waters legislation, which is being released in stages, encourages councils to work together, potentially forming larger regional enterprises to achieve better economies of scale.
“Whoever we partner with on our water services, the time, investment and process for CCO design will be required, and will be a core part of the Water Services Delivery Plan that we need to submit to government at the end of June 2025. This is one of the most important decisions Council is likely to make this year, and we want to get it right” explained Gavin.
Resolutions – unanimously agreed.
THAT the Waikato District Council:
commits to co-designing a two waters asset-owning Council Controlled Organisation with Hamilton City Council; and
notes that participation in the co-designing of a two-waters asset-owning Council Controlled Organisation with Hamilton City Council does not bind Waikato District Council to this as the only pathway available for implementing Local Water Done Well; and
notes that further due diligence and consideration of cost/benefit analysis and a detailed assessment of options is required to inform Council’s future decision making; and
approves staff to progress work with Hamilton City Council on the design of a joint asset-owning waters Council Controlled Organisation; and
receives and notes Hamilton City Council's offer to ensure continuity of service to Waikato District Council (if needed) while a joint asset-owning Council Controlled Organisation is established, on mutually acceptable terms.
