Greater Wellington — Local Water Done Well

A banner showing a lake in a forest, with the words "What and Wai" overtop

Greater Wellington's consultation on Local Water Done Well is now closed. Councillors will make a decision on the new water services delivery model on 26 June 2025.

What is Local Water Done Well?

In December 2023 the Central Government announced a new direction for water services (drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services) called Local Water Done Well.

Under this water reform five councils – Hutt City, Upper Hutt City, Porirua City, Wellington City, and Greater Wellington – are working together, in partnership with Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika to propose options for managing water infrastructure into the future.

Greater Wellington is seeking feedback on two proposed options:

Our preferred option: a new, multi-council-owned organisation that would take ownership of public drinking water and wastewater networks.
A modified version of the current model, where Wellington Water Limited would continue maintaining infrastructure and managing water services on behalf of councils.

Regardless of the chosen approach, water infrastructure will remain publicly owned and managed on behalf of ratepayers and the community.

A drone image of the Kaitoke Pipe Bridge

The Kaitoke Pipe Bridge Project is part of efforts to ensure a resilient connection for the region’s primary water supply, transporting water from Te Awa Kairangi | the Hutt River to Te Mārua Water Treatment Plant.

Proposed consultation document

Local Water Done Well

Local Water Done Well | Accessible Word version

Greater Wellington's role

Greater Wellington has a unique position, being the only regional council in Aotearoa New Zealand with a dual role in water services delivery.

It also has a unique role for a regional council in providing drinking water to city councils for them to distribute to houses and businesses (also called ‘bulk drinking water supply’).

Bulk water drinking supply

Check out this diagram and find out more about the Wellington region's water network.

A Clarifier at the Te Mārua drinking/portable water treatment plant

A clarifier at Te Mārua drinking water treatment plant. Clarifiers are large, open tanks designed to allow particles to settle by gravity, separating them from the clearer water above.

What happens next

All feedback will be reviewed after 22 April before recommendations are presented to the council
Councillors will make a decision on the new water services delivery model on 26 June 2025
Greater Wellington Councillors adopt the Water Services Delivery Plan on 21 August 2025
Water Services Delivery Plan will be submitted to Department of Internal Affairs: 3 September 2025
Government confirms acceptance or requests changes to the Water Services Delivery Plan
Establishment planning: mid-2025 to mid-2026
New model takes effect (if approved): 1 July 2026

Privacy Statement

Greater Wellington will collect, store, use and/or share your personal information in accordance with the Greater Wellington Privacy statement.

All responses will be deidentified as part of the analysis, before overall themes are shared with the public and the other councils in the Wellington Region consulting on options for a water organisation.

Greater Wellington treats all responses received through its public consultation processes as public information. As such, we may be required to release all or part of your response if a request is made under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.

What's happened so far

Looking ahead - March 2025

December 2024 update

The government has introduced Bill 3. The Bill addresses many of the more challenging aspects of water reform, including:

Long-term requirements for financial stability
Further details about the powers, functions, and duties of a water services entity
Accountability, planning and reporting regimes for water services
Comprehensive economic regulation
Amendments to the regulatory settings for Taumata Arowai, the Water Services Regulator
Establishing a regulatory backstop power
Further changes to the Local Government Act 2002 and other legislation to strengthen the delivery of water services.

5 November 2024 update

At a full council meeting on 5 November (PDF 27 MB) , Greater Wellington considered the advantages and disadvantages of options for water services delivery, and agreed that a regional approach was the best way forward. Greater Wellington agreed to work with other councils in the region to create a joint water services delivery and implementation plan. Other councils have made decisions about the best way forward for them at the same time. You can read the news release here.

7 October 2024 update

Nine councils in the Wellington region, along with Horowhenua District Council, have now received a report outlining a recommended regional approach to joint water services delivery. The report outlines the scale of the challenge, implications around funding and pricing and is intended to support councils and councillors for significant decisions ahead.

It recommends a joint council owned company that would provide all services directly to water customers, and bill directly for water usage and services provided.

You can read the report here:

Wellington Region Water Services Delivery Planning Recommended regional approach to a joint Water Services Delivery Plan and delivery model

Appendices to Report

Appendix D: Council Profiles

DIA water services policy and legislation DIA information on the Technical Advisory Group

DIA Local Water Done Well legislation DIA Local Water Done Well updates