Kāpiti Coast District Council is exploring opportunities to retain three waters services (drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater) in-house or enter joint arrangements with councils to the north of the district following a decision last week to exit the wider Wellington region water services delivery project.
Mayor Janet Holborow says that after reviewing all available information and looking at options, Council has decided to discontinue its involvement in the Wellington Region Joint Water Services Delivery Plan.
“Council is committed to ensuring it achieves a future focused water services delivery model that recognises local priorities and ensures three waters services remain cost effective and responsive to community needs.
“While the regional project has been incredibly thorough and we have taken a lot of learnings from this work, Council has resolved to explore an Internal Business Unit. We will also consider the option of a joint arrangement with Horowhenua District Council, or combining with the Horowhenua, Manawatu and Palmerston North councils.
“We will be deciding early next year which options we’ll put forward for community consultation,” says the Mayor.
Under the Government’s Local Water Done Well policy, councils are required to consult on their preferred water services delivery options before submitting their Water Services Delivery Plan to the Department of Internal Affairs prior to 3 September 2025.
Mayor Holborow says this is one of the more significant decisions this Council is required to make this triennium.
“Councils across the entire country face challenges with how three waters services are funded alongside everything else they are required to do.
“We want to ensure that the model we choose is in the best possible interests of the people of Kāpiti and to maximise the advantage of the significant investment we have already made in our three waters infrastructure,” says Mayor Holborow.
