On Monday South Taranaki councillors signed off their response to the Government, saying reform was needed but not wholesale change.
The response included doubts about how much influence the district's four iwi (Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine and Taranaki) would have on Entity B.
"It is unsure how the large entities, as proposed, will engage with some 70 plus iwi/Māori and hapū in Entity B."
Under the Government's reform, mana whenua would appoint six members of a Regional Representative Group to oversee each WSE, and local councils would vote for another six members. Mana whenua would issue statements to shape the work of each WSE, as would the Regional Representative Group and the Government.
WSEs would be required to uphold the Treaty of Waitangi, build Māori capacity to participate, and enable mana whenua to express kaitiakitanga. Each WSE board would have members with expertise in the Treaty of Waitangi, mātauranga Māori, tikanga Māori, and te ao Māori.
The Government says iwi, hapū and Māori would get financial and non-financial support to "participate fully and meaningfully".
In response, the council was concerned local iwi rights wouldn't be upheld in practice.
"Finding six representatives from 22 councils (Entity B) will be difficult enough, however finding six representatives from some (as we have been informed) 70-plus iwi/Māori/hapū organisations to represent their interests will be, in our view, considerably more difficult and disingenuous."
Councillors have had six workshops on the Three Waters reform, with its Iwi Liaison Committee included in three of them.
The council also invited iwi to add written feedback, and Ngāruahine had done so.
"A concern that has been raised consistently at reform workshops and meetings is that the Government has not engaged with iwi appropriately throughout the reform process to date."
Despite whakapapa connections, councillors didn't want South Taranaki grouped with the Wellington-centred Entity C.
"We do however acknowledge that in discussions with our iwi partners that there are potentially closer ties to the south/east than there is north/east of the Taranaki rohe."
South Taranaki mayor Phil Nixon worried local priorities would be sidelined by the wishes of 21 other district councils in Entity B.
"Effectively we'll have no direct control over the proposed water services entities as presented and we can't see how the new entities will be responsive and accountable to our communities."
"The complex accountability framework ... is nothing short of unnecessary bureaucracy."
Nixon also doubted Government estimates that in 2051 the average household water services bill would be $7460 without reform, but just $1220 under the proposed WES.
The council response said South Taranaki had already been looking to combine water services with the region's two other district councils and that this was a better approach.
"This would also have the benefit of ensuring that our policies, plans and community aspirations that have been developed and funded through our Long Term Plan are achieved."
