Wairoa District Council is working through its journey to establish a local water services delivery entity.

Last year, Council agreed to establish a Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) which will sit as a separate entity delivering local drinking water, stormwater and wastewater services.

The new three waters delivery model is required under Central Government’s Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Act 2024.

A limited liability company has now been set up with the proposed working name of Wairoa Water Limited - which can be changed at a later date.

Upon registration with the Companies Office, and until directors are appointed, Mayor Craig Little and elected members Jeremy Harker and Benita Cairns have been appointed as directors of Wairoa Water Limited.

In September last year, Council adopted a Water Services Delivery Plan for the delivery of water supply, wastewater and stormwater services to connected properties within Wairoa district. The plan was approved by the Department of Internal Affairs and included that water services in the Wairoa District would be provided by a stand-alone Council Controlled Organisation.

The new organisation will commence on July 1 next year (2027), and services will continue to be provided by the Council until that time.

Wairoa District Council Chief Executive Matt Lawson said Wairoa has experience in establishing and working with a Council Controlled Organisation, through its ownership of QRS. “We also have experience in sharing services, where support can be provided across multiple business units.” He added that Council will be working on sharing information around the impacts of the change and how that will affect local communities across the district.”

Elected members acknowledged that the Government’s reform of water services represents a fundamental shift in how future water services are delivered to communities.

The Council had considered joining a Hawke’s Bay regional model but chose to go it alone, saying both the regional and local models had affordability issues, but the best choice for the Wairoa community is to develop a localised plan and deliver it smartly, utilising Wairoa’s nimbleness and drawing on specialised expertise where needed.

10 August 2026

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