Local Water Done Well

In June 2025, Hauraki District Council confirmed a unanimous ‘head and heart’ decision to transfer its water services to a sub-regional Council Controlled Organisation, Waikato Waters for the future delivery of water and wastewater services in the district.

The CCO was established in July 2025 with three District Councils, South Waikato, Waipā and Waitomo transferring in from 1 July 2026, Matamata-Piako transferring in from 1 October 2026 and then Hauraki and Ōtorohanga transferring in from 1 July 2027.

Economies of Scale and Service Efficiencies

Mayor Toby Adams thanked everyone involved for the huge workload that went into this decision and the considered feedback received from the community following public consultation in May 2025.

“We crunched the numbers and we’re confident that this decision to form a Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) with other Councils in the Waikato catchment area will give the economies of scale and service efficiencies we need for our communities going forward. Holistically, it’s also the right approach for managing waterways as a whole in the Waikato”, he said.

Waikato Waters Limited (Waikato Waters) (WWL)

Waikato Waters was incorporated on 24 July 2025 with the founding shareholding councils being:

Hauraki District Council

South Waikato District Council

Waipā District Council

Taupō District Council

Waitomo District Council

Matamata-Piako District Council

Ōtorohanga District Council

HDC’s Chief Executive, David Speirs says that this decision has been a long time coming, due to many things out of Hauraki’s control and it feels good to be able to move forward with increased certainty.

“We will continue to deliver a seamless water services experience for our communities and team, as well as work with the new CCO, and other participating Councils, to ensure the HDC transfer is smooth and as non-disruptive as possible”, he said.

HDC’s delivery of drinking and wastewater services, assets and liabilities, will move to the CCO on 1 July 2027. Stormwater management will remain with Council.

The Waikato Water Ltd share allocation is proportional to the number of Total Water Connections within each Service Area. Shares cannot be sold or transferred, or used as security for any purpose. Hauraki District Council will have a 16% share in Waikato Waters.

The CCO will manage the drinking water and wastewater service delivery (including assets and liabilities) of its shareholding councils.

Waikato Waters Board of Directors

At the end of August 2025, the independent Board of Directors was announced. As part of the Local Government (Water Services) legislation, the Board and Board Chair of Waikato Waters is to be independent of Council, they cannot be an elected member of a Council that is a shareholder in the company, nor can they be an employee of any shareholding Council or Waikato Waters. They must also be appointed on the basis of their competency to perform the role and have an appropriate mix of skills, knowledge and experience in relation to providing water services.

The CCO does not yet have a Chief Executive. This recruitment will be led by the Board.

Details of Waikato Waters Board of Directors is detailed here.

Shareholders Representative Forum (SRF)

Council will continue to have a say in relation to the company and its priorities via a Shareholders Representative Forum (SRF) for which the Mayor is our representative and the Deputy Mayor is our alternative representative.

The SRF is responsible for appointing the Board and issuing them with a Statement of Expectations (SOE). The draft SOE is expected to be completed by approx. June 2026 and confirmed by consensus by mid-December 2026. The SRF convened for their inaugural meeting on 28 July 2025.

Water Services Delivery Plan (WSDP)

HDC received notification that our Water Services Delivery Plan was accepted by the Secretary for Local Government on 18 September 2025. The assessment report and plan is published on our website under Plans and Strategy: Water Services Delivery Plan - Hauraki District Council.

The plan provides an assessment of Council’s water infrastructure, how much investment is needed and how Council plans to finance and deliver it through the CCO.

I have a question

Please email lwdw@hauraki-dc.govt.nz and we will respond as soon as possible.