Clutha District Council has joined forces with Gore District Council and Central Otago District Council to form Southern Water Done Well, a partnership designed to address complex water infrastructure challenges under the Government’s Local Water Done Well legislation. This collaborative approach allows the three councils to pool resources and meet stricter regulatory requirements for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services. The council’s Water Services Delivery Plan has been accepted by the Secretary for Local Government and is now available on the Department of Internal Affairs website.
Local Water Done Well is the Government’s replacement for the previous Three Waters reform proposals, introduced to tackle New Zealand’s long-standing water infrastructure issues. The reforms were triggered in part by the 2016 Havelock North gastroenteritis outbreak, which exposed serious gaps in water safety standards and infrastructure across the country. The new framework requires councils to ring-fence water services financially, invest in infrastructure, set fair pricing, and develop delivery plans that demonstrate financial sustainability by June 2028.
Under the legislation, councils can work together through jointly owned council-controlled water organisations, which are able to borrow more against three waters assets specifically for water infrastructure investment. This arrangement frees up councils to continue investing in other key infrastructure areas while meeting the Government’s stricter water service regulations. All territorial authorities, including district and city councils, must prepare a Water Services Delivery Plan covering a minimum 10-year timeframe, with the first three years detailed.
Clutha District Council consulted with its community on the water service delivery proposals between 9 May and 6 June 2025. The Southern Waters partnership is proceeding, giving the three councils more control over their water services future while introducing greater central government oversight of how water resources are managed across the region.
Read the full article at Clutha District Council – News →
Source: Clutha District Council – News. This summary was published by Input Ltd via amalgamation.nz, New Zealand’s central resource for local government amalgamation news and council merger updates.
