- Three Waters Reform Programme
- About the Reform Programme
- Iwi/Māori interests
- Working groups
- National Transition Unit
- Reform Programme Engagement
- Information for councils
- Key information
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Request for Information
- Taumata Arowai
- Three Waters Review
- Government Inquiry into Havelock North Drinking Water
- Archived information
Archived Three Waters Reform Programme information and key documents – 2020-2021
This page contains archived information from the Three Waters Reform Programme webpage.
Back to the Three Waters Reform Programme webpage
Joint Three Waters Steering Committee
Updates from the Steering Committee
Funding package
Key Documents
Sector Engagement
Iwi/Māori Engagement
Archived documents
Media releases
Contact us
At the May 2020 Central/Local Government Forum, central and local government leadership discussed challenges facing New Zealand’s water service delivery and infrastructure, and committed to working jointly on reform.
The Joint Three Waters Steering Committee has been established to provide oversight and guidance to support progress towards reform, and to assist in engaging with local government, iwi/Māori and other water sector stakeholders on options and proposals.
The Steering Committee comprises independent chair Brian Hanna, local government mayors, chairs and chief executives, representatives of Local Government New Zealand and Taituarā — Local Government Professionals Aotearoa (formerly SOLGM), officials and advisors from the Department of Internal Affairs, Taumata Arowai, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Treasury.
The Steering Committee ensures the perspectives, interests and expertise of both central and local government, and of communities throughout New Zealand are considered, while the challenges facing water services and infrastructure are addressed.
The Steering Committee is supported by a secretariat made up of advisors and officials from Local Government New Zealand, Taituarā — Local Government Professionals Aotearoa, the Department of Internal Affairs, and the Treasury. This secretariat is hosted by the Department of Internal Affairs, and can be contacted via email at: 3waterssteeringgroup@dia.govt.nz
In July 2020, the Government announced funding to provide immediate covid stimulus package to maintain and improve water networks infrastructure, and to support a three-year programme of reform of local government water services delivery arrangements.
Central and Local Government considered it timely to apply targeted infrastructure stimulus investment to enable improvements to water service delivery, progress reform in partnership, and ensure the period of economic recovery following COVID-19 supports a transition to a productive, sustainable economy.
All eligible councils signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and associated Funding Agreement and Delivery Plan for the first stage of the Three Waters Services Reform Programme.
The Department of Internal Affairs and Crown Infrastructure Partners have reviewed and approved all 67 Delivery Plans for councils’ use of Three Waters funding allocations. All councils have received an initial three waters stimulus funding instalment (50 per cent of their total allocation), totalling $261.5 million.
The remaining $261.5 million will be released to councils in instalments, on the achievement of milestones linked to the completion of defined activities.
In addition to the allocation of stimulus funding for local government, Cabinet agreed to allocate $30 million to support rural drinking water suppliers, including marae, to meet drinking water standards. We expect this funding to be allocated in 2021.
In July/August 2020 the Steering Committee held a series of engagements with local government and iwi/Māori partners to discuss the process to access the stimulus funding, and an overview of the reform programme’s direction of travel.
This first engagement provided a forum for councils considering signing up to the reform programme to raise issues and work through questions ahead of signing the MoU.
See the Archived Documents section below for materials produced as part of this engagement.
Iwi/Māori interests and engagement
The Department of Internal Affairs held a series of hui and workshops with iwi/Māori through the Three Waters Review and the establishment of Taumata Arowai. Engagement on the proposed three waters reform built on these previous engagements with iwi/Māori to more fully understand Treaty rights of interests over the course of the reform period.
In August/September 2020. The Department of Internal Affairs and Taumata Arowai held a series of hui-ā-motu across New Zealand with iwi/hapū/Māori groups to provide an early look at the reform programme and discuss rights and interests in the reforms ahead of policy development.
See the Archived Documents section section below for materials produced as part of this engagement.
- Steering Committee workshop: summary report (PDF, 1MB)
- March 2021 - Frequently asked questions (PDF, 730KB)
- Frequently Asked Questions – Three Waters Services Reform (PDF, 917KB)
- Joint Three Waters Steering Committee Terms of Reference (PDF, 107KB)
- A3 – Summary of Three Waters Reform Programme – 16 July (PDF, 1MB)
Key Documents
Cabinet Papers and Minutes
- Cabinet paper and minute – Progressing the three waters service delivery reforms – December 2020 (PDF, 2MB)
- Cabinet paper and minute – Investing in water infrastructure to accelerate reform and support economic recovery post COVID-19 – June 2020 (PDF, 3.3MB)
- Reform timeline – December 2020 (PDF, 316KB)
Reports
- Economic analysis of water services aggregation - Briefing to the Minister (PDF, 6MB)
- Economic analysis of water services aggregation – Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 144KB)
- Economic analysis of water services aggregation Stage One Report (PDF, 3.4MB)
- Statement of work – Review of methodology and assumptions underpinning economic analysis of aggregation (PDF, 684KB)
- Addendum to Statement of Work (PDF, 637KB)
- Information pack: What is economic regulation (PDF, 615KB)
- Overview of the Water Services Bill (PDF, 1MB)
Sector Engagement
- Slide pack from July/August 2020 workshops (PDF, 465KB)
- Welcome and introduction from the Minister of Local Government Hon Nanaia Mahuta (YouTube, 4 minutes 38 seconds)
- Three Waters Reform Programme - Engagement slides - March 2021 (PDF, 3MB)
- Workshop full report – Three Waters Reform Programme – March 2021 (PDF, 1.7MB)
- Workshop engagement slide pack summary – Three Waters Reform Programme – March 2021 (PDF, 549KB)
Iwi/Māori Engagement (October 2020)
- Taumata Arowai and Three Waters Reform Programme iwi/Māori Hui-ā-Motu Summary Report (PDF, 835KB)
- Taumata Arowai and Three Waters Reform Programme iwi/Māori hui a motu slide pack (PDF, 1MB)
- Taumata Arowai and Three Waters Reform Programme iwi/Māori pre-workshop introductory webinar slide pack (PDF, 661KB)
- Taumata Arowai and Three Waters Reform Programme iwi/Māori pre-workshop introductory webinar recording (link to YouTube video)
- Taumata Arowai and Three Waters Reform Programme iwi/Māori pre-workshop introductory webinar Minister Mahuta’s Speech Notes - 15 September (PDF, 164KB)
- Taumata Arowai and Three Waters Reform Programme iwi/Māori hui a motu A3 (PDF, 6MB)
- Taumata Arowai and Three Waters Reform Programme iwi/Māori pre-workshop Water Services Bill webinar slide pack – 17 September 2020 (PDF, 423KB)
MOU
- Memorandum of Understanding – Three Waters Services Reform - to sign Updated 14 August 2020 (PDF, 165KB)
- Simpson Grierson Advice to SOLGM on MOU commissioned by SOLGM (PDF, 980KB) 6 August 2020
- Model report for Chief Executives Produced by SOLGM August 2020 (DOCX, 489KB) 6 August 2020
Funding Allocations
- Notional Funding Allocations (PDF, 465KB) 4 August 2020
- Frequently Asked Questions on the funding allocation (PDF, 629KB) Updated 14 August 2020
- Three Waters Investment Package Funding Allocation - Spreadsheet (XLS, 21KB) 14 August 2020
Funding Agreement and Delivery Plan
- Funding Reporting template (XLXS, 3MB) 11 December 2020
- Delivery Plan Default Addendum – October 2020 (PDF, 207KB) 23 October 2020
- Grant Funding Guidance (PDF, 242KB) 4 August 2020
- Three Waters Stimulus Delivery Plan (DOCX, 66KB) 4 August 2020
- Three Waters Stimulus Funding Agreement (DOCX, 91KB) 4 August 2020
Previous Cabinet Papers and Minutes
Updates from the Steering Committee
- Steering Committee Update - 26 August 2021
- Steering Committee Update - 13 May 2021
- Steering Committee Update - 29 April 2021
- Steering Committee Update - 16 April 2021
- Steering Committee Update - 1 April 2021
- Steering Committee Update- 18 March 2021
- Steering Committee Update - 25 February 2021
- Steering Committee Update - 18 February 2021
- Steering Committee Update - 12 February 2021
- Steering Committee Update - 28 January 2021
- Steering Committee Update - 21 January 2021
- Steering Committee Update - 18 December 2020
- Steering Committee Update - 10 December 2020
- Steering Committee Update - 2 December 2020
- Steering Committee Update - 26 November 2020
- Steering Committee Update - 19 November 2020
- Steering Committee Update - 12 November 2020
- Steering Committee Update - 3 November 2020
- Steering Committee Update - 19 October 2020: forthcoming Request for Information
- Steering Committee Update - 8 October 2020
- Steering Committee update – 25 September 2020
- Steering Committee update – 11 September 2020
- Steering Committee update – 2 September 2020
- Steering Committee update – 25 August 2020
- Steering Committee update – 17 August 2020
- Steering Committee update – 26 June 2020
- SOLGM hosted Q and A session webinar
- SOLGM hosted announcement webinar
Steering Committee meeting summaries
- Summary of Steering Committee meeting – 7 September 2020 (PDF, 102KB)
- Summary of Steering Committee meeting – 17 August 2020 (PDF, 104KB)
- Summary of Steering Committee meeting – 3 August 2020 (PDF, 100KB)
- Summary of Steering Committee meeting – 13 July 2020 (PDF, 100KB)
- Summary of Steering Committee meeting – 6 July 2020 (PDF, 100KB)
- Summary of Steering Committee meeting – 29 June 2020 (PDF, 99KB)
- Summary of Steering Committee meeting – 22 June 2020 (PDF, 101KB)
- Summary of Steering Committee meeting – 15 June 2020 (PDF, 99KB)
- Summary of Steering Committee meeting – 8 June 2020 (PDF, 78KB)
2020 Media Releases
- Government announces allocation of three waters funds for councils - 4 August 2020 (Beehive website)
- Announcement of funding for the Three Waters Services Reform - 8 July 2020 (Beehive website)
Contact us
If you have any queries, please email: 3waterssteeringgroup@dia.govt.nz or ThreeWaters@dia.govt.nz