Ref:  SR2428568
Civic House, 110 Trafalgar Street
PO Box 645, Nelson 7040, New Zealand
9 September 2024
P (03) 546 0200
E [Nelson City Council request email]
nelson.govt.nz
Alan Riley
Via email only: [FYI request #28034 email]
Dear Alan
OFFICIAL INFORMATION REQUEST FOR WATER SERVICES BRIEFINGS
I refer to your official information request dated 13 August 2024, as follows:
"Can you please share any briefings to the Mayor on water services since the 2023 central
Govt election? And any correspondence between the Mayor (or Chief Executive) between
other Top of the South Mayors and Chief Executives regarding water services over same
period?"
Please find attached the presentation from a briefing on 12 August 2024 to which Mayors
and Chief Executives of all councils were invited. Note that His Worship the Mayor was unable
to attend but was provided with the presentation in the invitation.
There is no correspondence from either Mayor or Chief Executive with other with Top of the
South Mayors and Chief Executives.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this response.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
Freephone 0800 802 602.
If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact [Nelson City Council request email].
Yours sincerely
Devorah Nícuarta-Smith
Manager Governance and Support Services
Encl:  Local Water Done Well information sessions for councils Aug 2024 (presentation)
Internal Document ID: NDOCS-1738230957-26949

Local Water Done Well:
Enduring settings
Hamiora Bowkett, Executive Director, Water Services Policy
Information session for councils
12 August 2024

A new approach to water services delivery
WATER SERVICES DELIVERY ARRANGEMENTS
PLANNING AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WATER
SERVICES
STREAMLINED PROCESS FOR WATER CCO SET -UP
NEW WATER SERVICES DELIVERY MODELS
WATER SERVICES DELIVERY PLANS
FINANCING FOR COUNCILS AND WATER ORGANISATIONS
PLANNING AND ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK
FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS FOR STORMWATER
ECONOMIC REGULATION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
WIDER REGULATORY SYSTEM
INFORMATION PROVIDED VIA WATER SERVICES DELIVERY
DRINKING WATER QUALITY REGULATION
PLANS
STANDARDS TO HELP REDUCE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
FULL ECONOMIC REGULATION REGIME
COSTS
ENABLING LEGISLATION
LOCAL GOVERNMENT (WATER SERVICES
LOCAL GOVERNMENT WATER SERVICES BILL
PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENTS) BILL
2

Water Services Delivery Plans provide foundation for
Local Water Done Well
•
The Local Government (Water Services Preliminary
One-off, transitional documents
Arrangements) Bill sets out the content requirements,
timeframe, and process for developing and accepting Plans.
Cover drinking water, wastewater and stormwater
•
Plans will cover information across three key areas: financial and
asset information, investment required and service delivery
Have no regulatory function
arrangements.
•
Can be developed by individual or joint councils
Majority of the information required for Plans is expected to
come from councils’ existing public documents (e.g. long-term
plans, financial accounts and asset management plans).
Streamlined approach to consultation
•
Plans will be a way for councils to reflect on their current
approach to water services delivery and whether it will be ‘fit for
10-year timeframe; may cover up to 30 years, with
purpose’ into the future.
detailed info on first three
•
Support for councils (once the Bill is enacted) will include ‘how
to’ guidance for developing Plans, Plan template, and formal and
informal information sessions.
3

Councils can choose from a range of water services
delivery models
4

Financing options available
•
The New Zealand Local Government Funding
•
LGFA will treat borrowing by water CCOs as separate
Agency (LGFA) Limited has confirmed that it will
from borrowing by their supporting parent council
provide financing to support water council-
or councils.
controlled organisations (CCOs) established under
Local Water Done Well and look to assist high
•
Councils will also retain the ability to borrow
growth councils with additional financing.
through LGFA should they choose to keep water
services ‘in house’ rather than establish a water
•
LGFA will extend its existing lending to CCOs to new
organisation.
water organisations that are CCOs and are
financially supported by their parent council or
•
LGFA is also reviewing whether it can prudently
councils.
provide additional flexibility to councils to meet the
future challenges faced by the sector.
•
LGFA will support leverage for water CCOs up to a
level equivalent to 500 percent of operating
revenues (around twice that of existing councils),
subject to water CCOs meeting prudent credit
criteria.
5

Planning and accountability framework
•
Fit for purpose for the new water services delivery system.
THREE CORE DOCUMENTS
•
Will help to improve transparency and accountability.
1. Statement of expectations
•
Supports an enhanced focus on water services.
2. Water services strategy
•
Will apply to all local government water services providers.
3. Water services annual report
6

Economic regulation ensures sufficient, high-quality
investment
•
New economic regulation regime for local government
TOOLS
water service providers, implemented by the Commerce
Commission.
1. Information disclosure
•
The Commerce Commission will have a range of
2. Revenue thresholds
regulatory tools, including mandatory information
disclosure, to promote efficient practices and protections
3. Financial ringfence
for consumers.
•
The regime will ensure that revenue collected by local
4. Quality standards and performance
government water service providers through rates or
requirements
water charges is being spent on the level of water
infrastructure needed.
5. Price-quality regulation
7

Changes to drinking water quality regulation
•
Aim to reduce the cost and burden for drinking water
KEY CHANGES
suppliers associated with complying with the Water
Services Act 2021.
➢ How Taumata Arowai regulates drinking
water suppliers
•
Designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of
➢ Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai
the drinking water regulatory regime, and the approach
Taumata Arowai takes to regulating this regime.
➢ Reducing the regulatory burden, particularly
for small, low-risk suppliers
•
Support a regulatory response that is proportionate to the
➢ Change in approach to Te Mana o te Wai
scale, complexity, and risk profile of each drinking water
supply.
➢ New approach to wastewater standards –
single, consistent standard
8

Next steps
• Enactment of Local Government (Water Services Preliminary
Arrangements) Bill
August
• Water Services Delivery Plan guidance, templates and further
information available for councils
• Water Services Delivery Plan information sessions for councils
September
• Technical support for councils to prepare Water Services Delivery
Plans (ONGOING THROUGH TO AUG 2025)
Further information
Questions?
dia.govt.nz/Water-Services-
[email address]
Policy-Future-Delivery-System
9

Questions

Document Outline