Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill

Water New Zealand submitted in support of the Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. It is an important step in ensuring appropriate funding, investment and regulatory compliance across the country in our water networks.

Our submission addresses the following themes:

• Definitions – consistency across legislation and questions of clarity.
• What should be in a Water Services Delivery Plan.
• Period covered by, and process for approving, a Water Services Delivery Plan, and criteria for the Crown Monitor, Crown Facilitator and Crown Water Services Specialist.
• Establishment, and subsequent transition to full economic regulatory regime.
• Absence of Te Ao Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• Other concerns.

We also provided comment on the tabled amendment paper which specifies that the Te Mana o te Wai hierarchy of obligations in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (“NPSFM”) will not apply when Taumata Arowai sets wastewater standards under the Water Services Act 2021.