Three Waters 101

By Megan Dunn

The new water reforms set to bring the “Three Waters” in New Zealand together (drinking water, wastewater and stormwater), seems to be doing the diametrical opposite; it’s tearing everyone apart.

So, what’s everyone so up in arms for? Let’s talk the specifics of Three Waters to understand the bottom line of the reform and how exactly it will affect all of us. At current, the New Zealand water way systems and infrastructure is 85 percent managed by local councils. This means that 78 local councils manage the water systems of their particular region. Due to the major shortcomings of some of this local management, catastrophes have occurred in recent years. Sickness and even death has ensued from contaminated drinking water on multiple occasions, which is simply unacceptable in a developed country such as ours. The outbreak of gastroenteritis in Havelock North in 2016 during which more than 5,000 people were contaminated and four people died, prompted the government to consider an approach for change, they felt it was necessary to intervene. Enter the proposed entity-based model for water services. The Government’s proposal outlines its intention to transfer water management away from local councils to four new independent entities. The country would be split into four regions with each independent entity managing their region. It is proposed that these four new entities would be made up of nominated people and directors. Current proposals suggest half of the people who select the panel who then select the board will be Mana Whenua, and the rest will be chosen by the councils from the region. The bill has put emphasis on giving iwi a lot more authority (but nobody ‘controlling’ the asset) in accordance with the Treaty of Waitangi. The issues began to arise when Labour pitched the proposal as an ‘opt in, opt out’ situation for councils. Christchurch City Council was among the majority of councils across the country that did choose to opt out; then the government made the bill mandatory. Pushing the proposal when the majority of councils heavily oppose the plan is not settling well among councillors’ and the general public. Further, the financial profiling of the plan does not add up for some people. They are angry that water assets that they have funded for years through their rate payments, insinuating some sense of ownership, are now going to swallow up into nothing, public assets being ‘sold’ with barely any explanation of the complete transfer of power. A huge concern is that water issues are not simultaneous throughout the country. Canterbury does not face the same water challenges and demands as the Otago region for example. If there is an issue in Picton, how does an entity based in say Wellington network the efficient repair and maintenance of t his problem? Do local councils know their local region better than a separate bureaucratic entity serviced from afar? Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta expressed, “These reforms have been long signalled. “In our manifesto we committed to tackling big issues that others have long neglected in order to future-proof New Zealand. We are taking action to ensure safe, clean water for all communities in New Zealand for generations to come, protecting households from ballooning costs, and better preparing for the compounding impacts of climate change. put distance between communities and decision-makers. “This move is tantamount to state-sanctioned theft of assets that ratepayers have paid for decades to own.” Environment Canterbury Councillor and environmental activist Lan Pham, shares via Stuff, “Those equally triggered by misconceptions about public assets being ‘sold’, ‘seized’ or ‘privatised’ should take comfort in the fact that their councils, on behalf of their communities, will own the proposed water entities. “Precisely because of this shared-ownership proposal, water services would become more difficult to privatise than now. “Scotland and parts of Australia followed a similar model, where water assets successfully moved from councils to dedicated public entities.” A positive outcome which emerged from the review of our waterways is establishing a drinking water regulation authority called Taumata Arowai. This organisation, which astoundingly had never existed previously, will make sure all of our tap water is safe to drink, something essentially everyone agrees with. The appropriate management of our water systems is of upmost importance to us now more than ever. It is not only now one of our highest valued commodities, but absolutely essential for economic and social success as well as the health of our nation. This is a controversial issue and decision that will affect us all enormously, equipping ourselves with a breadth of knowledge to make informed opinions regarding the best way forward is crucial. If all continues in this direction, entities are set to be established in 2024. CT

A huge concern is that water issues are not simultaneous throughout the country. Canterbury does not face the same water challenges and demands as the Otago region for example.

“It would be irresponsible to pour taxpayers’ money into propping up a broken system, or let households face unprecedented rises in water costs. Currently 43 of the 67 councils do not have the revenue to cover their water services operating expenditures at the moment, let alone once the infrastructure starts failing,” Mahuta says. Reported in a press release, National party leader, Christopher Luxon, says the Government would “create needless bureaucracy, strip away local control, and