Cyclone Gabrielle highlighted the vulnerability we face with our city’s water supply. Multiple breaks in the pipeline caused major water restrictions for residents and businesses for months.

We have a lot of work to do including removing large wood debris in the Te Arai catchment threatening our water pipeline.

We also need significant investment to make our water supply even more resilient in the future.

What we can achieve in 3 years

The government announced a new direction for water services called ‘Local Water Done Well’ after repealing the Three Waters legislation, which recognises the importance of local decision-making. The exact details of the new rules and structure remain uncertain.

By the end of 2025 government will provide direction to all councils on the requirements for setting up council-controlled organisations – banding together means we would have more borrowing power.

We will continue to improve and protect our 3 waters by:

• replacing and renewing pipes across the network
• Increasing resources for silt and wood debris removal near our water pipeline to prevent future damage

Water supply

• Comply with the recently enacted NZ Water Services Act.
• Improve capacity and resilience from the dams to the city.
• Increase our back up supply of pipes for faster fixes.

Wastewater

• Continue our DrainWise programme working with property owners to reduce wastewater overflows.
• Continue replacing ageing pipes and infrastructure.

Stormwater

• Continue to improve public network to reduce surface flooding.

Our water - what we asked

Our preferred option - this will give us a budget of $43m over 3 years

Rates increase 1.5% - impact on debt $13m

• We will increase repairs and renew the infrastructure network of pipes, pump stations and treatment plants for more resilience.
• We will continue with our DrainWise programme.
• We can increase our backup supply of replacement pipes for immediate fixes across our networks.

If you want us to spend more, do more - this will give us a budget of $53m over 3 years

Rates increase 2.3% - impact on debt $23m

We will do the work listed above as well as:

• Plan and model for alternative water supply sites.
• Increase the work required to reduce number of emergency wastewater overflows into our waterways.
• Making our water supply more resilient, quicker.