Joint update from working group
22 April 2026
Assessment of potential joint water services delivery across Rotorua, Whakatāne, Kawerau and Ōpōtiki is progressing well with community consultation to happen later this year.
The councils for the four districts are working together to investigate the potential for a multi-council entity to deliver water services in the long term.
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell, who hosted yesterday’s meeting in Rotorua of the joint working group undertaking the investigation, says it is progressing well.
The group, which includes the mayors of the four districts and meets monthly, received updates on the development of a report that will outline and assess technical aspects that would be associated with any potential move to a shared water entity.
“There are a lot of complexities and factors to be taken into consideration and we need to carefully step through all aspects. Following initial analysis and assessment we’re now moving into more detailed work for the technical report ahead of consultation,” Mayor Tapsell says.
Once finalised, the report will provide the basis for options for community consultation to get feedback that will be taken into consideration for each council’s decision-making. The report is due to be finalised in August.
“We will formally consult later this year to get feedback on the options being considered but we’re already taking opportunities to raise awareness and understanding as part of scheduled engagement with iwi and community organisations and through regular updates on our council websites and social media,” Mayor Tapsell says.
“None of our councils have yet made a decision – we’re doing important groundwork on what our future options are and then look forward to engagement and consultation which will help to inform our decisions.
“We all want the best possible long-term outcomes for our communities so it will be absolutely vital to understand local community and iwi views and incorporate these into our thinking,” she says.
Background
Work to assess the potential for a multi-council option for delivery of water services is being undertaken by a working group that includes the mayors of the four districts, supported by the chief executives of the four councils and staff.
The working group was established following approval of each council’s Water Service Delivery Plan, a requirement of the Government’s Local Water Done Well policies. Each of the four councils is taking a staged approach to future service delivery, providing services in-house and making decisions in 2026/27 for the longer-term delivery of these services. This has provided time for the regional joint waters working group to investigate the potential establishment of a multi-council water services council-controlled organisation (WSCCO) for long-term delivery.
In December 2025 the four councils signed a Heads of Agreement to work together to investigate a potential combined multi-council water entity. This was done at the inaugural meeting of the working group in Rotorua.
Under a potential WSCCO model, Councils would retain full ownership through shares with a professional board governing the organisation and elected members providing input through an annual statement of expectation.
The WSCCO would adhere to existing relationship commitments to mana whenua, and all formal agreements between councils, iwi and hapū would be honoured.
The WSCCO would set pricing and invoice customers directly, with all pricing subject to regulation by the Commerce Commission.
To keep up to date with this work and find out more about Local Water Done Well go to the following links on your council’s website: