Council approves next steps in Water Services Delivery Plan
Published on 09 December 2025
Second stage of asset review, and exploration of partnership models to begin.
At Tuesday’s meeting of the Waitaki District Council, the Mayor and Councillors approved the next steps in developing the District’s Water Services Delivery Plan, continuing its asset review and seeking partners for a joint CCO for water with neighbouring Councils.
A review of the condition of Council assets was requested by the Department of Internal Affairs in October following their rejection of Waitaki’s Water Service Delivery Plan. The first stage, an independent assessment of all of the existing data on Council’s networks, has now been completed.
The second stage will involve targeted investigation of the network to increase confidence in the asset review. That will be used to create a new Water Services Delivery Plan. This second stage will take place between December 2025 and March 2026 at a cost of around $300,000.
Council also approved exploration of two joint service partnerships – with Timaru District Council, and with the Southern Water group. More information will be presented to the Mayor and Councilors in early-2026 for a final decision on which direction to take in its new Water Services Delivery Plan.
This decision ends Waitaki’s efforts to retain water services in-house. Under any future model the community will lose nothing, but instead gain the most affordable way to have clean water supplied to their homes, and drinking, waste and stormwater networks which meet high quality standards.
Mayor for the Waitaki District, Melanie Tavendale, says “Our mission is to deliver clean, safe water to every home, business, school and hospital in the district – and to do so at the most affordable price to the ratepayer.”
We need to ensure that when people turn on the tap, they get clean water delivered through efficient pipework, and when they flush the toilet, their sewage gets taken away and treated through a secure wastewater network.
The infrastructure investment needed over the next two decades dwarfs the $50 million Council has invested in its waters in the last six years. It can’t be deferred any more, it has to be done.
Water isn’t like roads, it’s not part-paid by the Government, and the charges for water will not be subject to the proposed rates-cap – so finding the most affordable option is vital for everyone in the district.
Water isn’t just a core service, it’s the core service – and we must make the right decision for everyone in Waitaki – today, and for the future.”
ENDS
media@waitaki.govt.nz