All three councils adopt Water Services Delivery Plan

West Coast councils adopt joint Water Services Delivery Plan under Local Water Done Well

All three West Coast district councils adopted their Water Services Delivery Plan last week, saying it was the most cost-effective option.

The plan sets out how the districts will sustainably deliver and fund safe and reliable water services over the next decade.

The Coast councils plan on setting up one Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) for water.

It is a statutory requirement that every council in the country must have their water services plan approved by the Department of Internal Affairs as part of Government reforms for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater.

Buller District Council chief executive Simon Pickford said it was a pivotal decision for the Buller District Council.

“The decision to create a CCO demonstrates how well our three councils can work together to deliver cost-effective, high-quality water services to our communities.”

Grey District Council chief executive Joanne Soderlund said it would see the three councils work closely together.

“Adopting it was the most cost-effective thing to do for the region.”

Westland District Council chief executive Barbara Phillips said: "Adopting the plan places Westland first, protecting local decision making and maximising our ability to manage local waters."

The key points:

• The three councils will set up a Council Controlled Organisation to deliver drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services;
• The proposed investment programme is financially sustainable; and
• The plan will focus resources on water, and compliance, with financial monitoring.

The transition and implementation period is expected to be over the next two years with the new Council Controlled Organisation being operational from the 1 July 2027.