Northland’s new regional water services company moves closer

Northland Waters, or Ngā Wai o Te Tai Tokerau, will be responsible for the region’s drinking water and wastewater. Photo / 123rf

A new inter-council company being set up to run Northland’s regional water services is moving closer.

Northland Waters, or Ngā Wai o Te Tai Tokerau, will be responsible for the region’s drinking water and wastewater, currently managed by district councils.

It is being established by Whangārei District Council, Kaipara District Council and Far North District Council.

Whangārei District Council general manager strategy and democracy Jason Marris told a council committee meeting on Tuesday that two of Northland’s three district councils had formally agreed to join the new company or council-controlled organisation (CCO).

Whangārei District Council (WDC) and Kaipara District Council (KDC) both decided at meetings on April 28.

Whangārei’s agreement was subject to the Kaipara and Far North (FNDC) councils also agreeing.

KDC’s agreement was also subject to FNDC agreeing.

FNDC’s decision was expected by May 20, Marris told WDC’s Te Kārearea strategic partnership standing committee.

Northland’s councils are moving towards the new company as part of the Government’s Local Water Done Well changes, introduced in 2024 to replace the former Three Waters restructuring.

Local Water Done Well sets out how drinking water and wastewater services must be planned, funded and delivered.

Council-owned assets – and debt – which provide drinking water and wastewater to about 100,000 WDC, KDC and FNDC consumers would be shifted into the CCO starting from July 2027.

Whangārei District Council general manager strategy and democracy Jason Marris. Photo / Susan Botting

Whangārei Mayor Ken Couper chairs Northland’s Local Water Done Well steering group.

Other members are Far North Mayor Moko Tepania, Kaipara Mayor Jonathan Larsen, Far North councillors Ann Court and John Vujcich, Whangārei councillors Deb Harding and Paul Yovich, and Kaipara councillors Craig Jepson and Rachael Williams.

The proposed company is part of wider reforms to improve water infrastructure and funding, though councils nationwide have faced questions about costs and delivery models.

Marris began his role at WDC in March after resigning from the position of chief executive at Kaipara District Council in February.

He had initially been heading to Kaipara Moana Remediation, New Zealand’s largest catchment-scale environmental restoration improvement programme, in the role of pou tātaki (general manager) for Kaipara Maurikura, the programme’s operational arm.

However, Marris decided not to take up that new role, instead moving into Whangārei District Council strategy and governance.

He said changing tack and taking up the council role had been a tough decision.

Marris said he had changed course because he believed his 20-plus years’ local government experience would be better utilised at Whangārei District Council “given the ongoing reform processes and dynamic local government environment at the moment”.

“I was incredibly thankful to KMR chair Tame Te Rangi, its governance committee and staff for their grace and understanding with me making the decision (to instead go to WDC),” Marris said.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.