Thames-Coromandel District Council has received government approval for its Water Services Delivery Plan under the Local Water Done Well programme, which addresses long-standing water infrastructure challenges across New Zealand. The plan sets out how the council will deliver drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services over the next 10 years in a financially sustainable way while meeting government standards.
The council began work on Local Water Done Well in October 2024, hiring consultants to assess future water services delivery options. Initially, two models were shortlisted: an internal business unit within Thames-Coromandel District Council or a joint regional water organisation with potential partners including Hamilton City Council, Tauranga City Council, and Western Bay of Plenty District Council. Community consultation held from 15 April to 15 May 2025 received 241 submissions, with 51 per cent favouring a joint water services organisation and 46 per cent preferring an internal business unit. Financial modelling indicated potential savings of $500 per ratepayer per year by 2034 through a joint model with Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council.
However, partnership plans fell through in August 2025 when both Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council decided to proceed without Thames-Coromandel District Council. Western Bay of Plenty District Council cited concerns about Treaty of Waitangi settlement issues involving local iwi and hapu as the reason for excluding Thames-Coromandel from the proposed joint water services organisation. Despite earlier votes by Tauranga City Council to include Thames-Coromandel, Western Bay of Plenty District Council maintained its position to form a joint organisation with Tauranga only.
The council has now adopted a Water Services Delivery Plan based on an in-house water services delivery unit while keeping options open to address Treaty settlement concerns. This approach allows Thames-Coromandel District Council to continue delivering water services independently while potentially joining a joint water services organisation with other councils in the future if Treaty issues can be resolved.
Read the full article at Thames-Coromandel District Council – News →
Source: Thames-Coromandel 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.
