Southern Waters partners approve Waitaki re-entry request

Published on 02 April 2026

Waitaki’s pathway to a future joint-CCO for delivering water services has been approved by the three Councils that make up Southern Waters.

Yesterday, Clutha District Council became the third and final partner to agree to Waitaki’s re-entry into the Southern Waters partnership following decisions made by Gore District Council on 17 March, Central Otago District Council on 25 March.

The next step will be for Waitaki District Council to hold an Extraordinary General Meeting on April 14 to consider establishment documentation, Southern Waters’ constitution and Shareholders’ Agreement, and updates to the Commitment Agreement.

This will also involve, if approved, appointing two representatives to the Stakeholders’ Representative Group.

Mayor Mel Tavendale said, “We can now move forward with developing our Water Services Delivery Plan, and I’d like to thank our fellow Councils for their support of Waitaki’s entry into Southern Waters. We’ll be meeting in a few weeks to consider the documentation required to formalise this arrangement, and deliver a sustainable future for water services in the District”

Southern Waters was established under the Government’s Local Water Done Well reforms for water services around New Zealand. It will be required to meet high standards for service delivery, regulatory compliance by both the Water Services Regulator Taumata Arowai and the Commerce Commission, and long-term infrastructure investment and sustainability.

Waitaki District Council will submit a new Water Services Delivery Plan before the Government Department of Internal Affairs deadline of 30 June 2026, following the Extraordinary General Meeting on April 14. The meeting will be livestreamed, with more information being provided closer to the time.

ENDS

media@waitaki.govt.nz