In New Zealand, $164-180bn is needed over the next 30 years to address ageing infrastructure – an investment of $5.5-$6bn every year. Investment of this scale demands collaboration between the government (at central, local and regional tiers), private sector, and communities to ensure quality, affordable, and sustainable services while preserving resources for future generations.
Despite the complexity, one certainty remains: the water sector transcends beyond merely pipes and pumps and will be at the forefront of driving transformative change for the benefit of our communities and environment.
The New Zealand Government's Local Water Done Well (LWDW) reforms aim to address the country’s water infrastructure challenges. LWDW provides local councils with options for delivering reliable and safe water services to communities over the next 30 years and beyond.
Under LWDW, councils can choose to deliver water services themselves, either as an inhouse business unit or single council-controlled organisation (CCO), or to collaborate with other councils by setting up a complex multi-council CCO. Either path requires the development of Water Services Delivery Plans to set out a strategy that demonstrates cost-effectiveness and affordability, financial sustainability, and compliance with new regulations.
