What is Local Water Done Well?

The Government has introduced its Local Water Done Well policy replacing the previous government’s Three Waters reform programme. It began to ensure everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand has safe, clean drinking water and to improve the way wastewater and stormwater are managed.

There will be new rules for investment, borrowing and pricing and new options for how we deliver water services.

Councils throughout New Zealand are required to formulate a Water Services Delivery Plan by September 2025. The plan will show how they will deliver services that meet the new water quality and infrastructure standards, support growth and urban development, that will be financially sustainable and can meet new regulatory standards by June 2028.

Our fast-growing district aims to protect our environment and stay true to our vision— Waipā Home of Champions: Building Connected Communities.

Water services we currently deliver

We’ve been providing your water, wastewater and stormwater services since….way back!

But things are changing, and we need to find a new model that is most cost effective for our communities.

Every time you turn on your tap, flush the toilet or there is heavy rain, there are teams of Council staff behind the scenes making sure everything is working the way it should. Our dedicated waters teams are made up of 40 staff. This does not include the staff whose roles also support the delivery of waters services in some way, for example, the finance and customer experience teams.

Providing the infrastructure, meeting compliance requirements and providing the services costs a lot.

In our draft 2025-2034 Long Term Plan, we have budgeted $384.3 million for water and wastewater for the next nine years.

  • Six water treatment plants supplying water to 17,676 properties
  • 575 kilometres of water mains and pipes, treating 8468 megalitres of water*
  • $214.4 million to be spent in the next nine years on infrastructure to treat and supply water including $68.9 million for water reservoirs.

* Denotes the quantity treated in the 2023/24 financial year

  • Two wastewater treatment plants - one in Cambridge and one in Te Awamutu
  • Treating wastewater from 14,477 properties
  • 67 pump stations treating 3486 megalitres of wastewater*
  • 304.1km of wastewater mains
  • $170 million for infrastructure development, including $109.8 million to upgrade pump stations
  • $55 million for planning upgrade of the Te Awamutu plant
  • Just over $44 million to complete the new Cambridge Wastewater Treatment Plant

* Denotes the quantity treated in the 2023/24 financial year

Our current financial status

In the 2025/26 year, water related charges are rising by 26.4 percent on average in our draft Long-Term Plan.

This increase is required to recover the full cost of running the water and wastewater activities as well as to meet Council’s current debt to revenue ratio requirements.

Increases of an average of 8.3 percent per year for the nine years of the draft Long Term Plan.

This includes the margin for inflation over that period.

Council’s debt levels under this option would be similar to the 2025-34 draft Long-Term Plan. Council's total gross debt would peak in 2028/29 at just over $661.5 million, of which about $293.5 million, would be water and wastewater debt.

The options

We want what is best for Waipā. We know Local Water Done Well will significantly change the way water services are delivered in New Zealand, and who we are as a council too.

All options would see the Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) own the water and wastewater assets. Stormwater assets will remain owned by Council. Establishment costs would be required for all options.

Following further work and careful consideration of the options, Waikato Water Done Well has emerged as the Council’s preferred option.

We've investigated three options:

  • Our preferred option - Waikato Water Done Well

    Creating a water organisation jointly-owned with a number of other district councils in the Waikato

    Find out more 

  • The Sub-Regional Option

    Collaborating with the two other high-growth councils in the Waikato – Hamilton City and Waikato District.

    Find out more 

  • And a back-up option

    Waipā would set up its own Council-Controlled Organisation and operate its water services alone. This was the most expensive out of the three options.

    Find out more 

Consultation document

To make an informed submission, read the full consultation document.

Frequently asked questions

Have your say

Feedback closes at 5pm on Monday, June 9.

Other ways to provide your feedback

There are multiple ways you can make a submission.

  • Drop-in sessions

    Come and chat to us, ask questions and tell us what you think at one of the following community events.

    Find dates 

  • Email

    Email the form to
    haveyoursay@waipadc.govt.nz and add 'LWDW Submission' in the email subject line.

    Download PDF form  

  • Post

    Post the completed form to:

    Waipā District Council, Freepost 167662, Private Bag 2402,
    Te Awamutu 3840, Attn: LWDW

    Download PDF form 

  • In person

    Bring the completed form into one of our offices with Attn: LWDW

    • 101 Bank Street, Te Awamutu
    • 23 Wilson Street, Cambridge


    Download PDF form 

What happens after consultation?

After consultations, Councillors will be asked to decide on a new delivery model for water services. The Council must submit our plans to the Secretary for Local Government at the Department of Internal Affairs by Wednesday, September 3, 2025. For more information, please view the timeline.