A new entity called Tiaki Wai will take over responsibility for delivering drinking water, wastewater, and piped stormwater services across metropolitan Wellington, including Upper Hutt, from 1 July 2026. The change is part of national water reform aimed at ensuring communities continue to receive safe, reliable, and sustainable water services. The region’s water assets will remain in public ownership and are not being sold, but will be owned by Tiaki Wai, which is collectively owned by councils on behalf of their communities.
From 1 July 2026, water service charges will no longer appear on Upper Hutt City Council rates invoices. Instead, Tiaki Wai will send separate water service bills directly to property owners, with the first bills expected in late July or early August 2026 and first payments due by 1 September 2026. Most properties will receive a bill every three months covering drinking water, wastewater, and piped stormwater services. Direct debit arrangements currently set up with Upper Hutt City Council for rates payments will not automatically transfer to Tiaki Wai, so residents who wish to pay by direct debit will need to set up new arrangements.
In the first year, water charges will largely reflect existing pricing structures used by each council area, meaning customers in different parts of the Wellington region may pay different amounts for water services. Over time, Tiaki Wai intends to move toward a more consistent regional pricing approach. The change is driven by the fact that councils across New Zealand are facing major challenges in funding and maintaining ageing water infrastructure, and the Wellington region needs significant long-term investment to replace ageing pipes, improve resilience, meet stricter national water standards, and support future growth.
Upper Hutt City Council will remain one of the joint owners of Tiaki Wai and will help oversee the organisation through regional governance arrangements. For most water customers, there will be no immediate change to day-to-day water services when Tiaki Wai begins operating, with water continuing to be supplied and wastewater and stormwater services maintained across Upper Hutt. Tiaki Wai will cover metropolitan Wellington, including Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt, Porirua, Wellington, and Greater Wellington regional infrastructure connections.
Read the full article at Upper Hutt City Council – News →
Source: Upper Hutt City 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.
