Local Water Done Well legislation
Local Water Done Well is being implemented in three stages, each with its own piece of legislation.
1. Repeal of previous water services legislation
2. Establish framework and preliminary arrangements for the new water services system
3. Establish enduring settings
Updated: 2 September 2024
Establish framework and preliminary arrangements for the new water services system
The Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Act 2024 establishes the Local Water Done Well framework and the preliminary arrangements for the new water services system.
The legislation was enacted on 2 September 2024.
The Bill lays the foundation for a new approach to water services management and financially sustainable delivery models that meet regulatory standards.
Key areas included in the Act are:
- Requirements for councils to develop Water Services Delivery Plans by 3 September 2025
- Requirements that Plans outline future water services delivery arrangements, and for councils to commit to an implementation plan
- Requirements for councils to include in their Plans baseline information about their water services operations, assets, revenue, expenditure, pricing, and projected capital expenditure, as well as necessary financing arrangements, as a first step towards future economic regulation
- Streamlined consultation and decision-making processes for setting up future water services delivery arrangements
- Provisions that enable a new, financially sustainable model for Watercare, including the appointment of a Crown monitor for the interim regulation of Watercare.
- Interim changes to the Water Services Act, which mean the Te Mana o te Wai hierarchy of obligations in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM) will not apply when Taumata Arowai sets wastewater standards.
Find out more about Water Services Delivery Plans.
Establish enduring settings
In August 2024 the Government set out the key details of New Zealand’s future water services delivery system under Local Water Done Well.
Read the Minister’s press release on the Beehive website.
Local Government Water Services Bill
The Government will introduce a third Local Water Done Well Bill in December 2024 that will establish the enduring settings for the new water services system.
The Local Government Water Services Bill will set out a range of changes to the water services delivery system and to the water services regulatory system.
This includes:
- New water services delivery models for councils to choose from, including new water organisations that can be owned by councils and/or consumer trusts
- Minimum requirements for local government water services providers
- A new economic regulation regime for local government water services providers, to be implemented by the Commerce Commission
- Changes to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the drinking water regulatory regime, and the approach Taumata Arowai takes to regulating the regime
- Change in the approach to applying Te Mana o te Wai, affecting drinking water suppliers as well as wastewater and stormwater networks
- A new approach to managing urban stormwater, including changes to improve the management of overland flow paths and watercourses in urban areas
- Changes relating to wastewater environmental performance standards and national engineering design standards.
Read the Local Government Services Bill Overview (PDF, 264KB)
Find out more about key policy decisions, including those that will be reflected in the Local Government Water Services Bill: Future water services delivery system
Repeal of previous water services legislation
In February 2024 the Government introduced and passed legislation to repeal all legislation relating to water services entities.
The Water Services Acts Repeal Act repealed the Water Services Entities Act 2022, Water Services Legislation Act 2023 and the Water Services Economic Efficiency and Consumer Protection Act 2023.
The Act reinstated previous legislation related to the provision of water services (including local government legislation). This restored continued council ownership and control of water services, and responsibility for service delivery.
The Act includes some transitional support options to help councils complete their long-term plans, depending on their local needs and circumstances. The Act also includes transitional provisions that enable councils to defer the review of water services bylaws, under the Local Government Act 2002.
Read the Water Services Acts Repeal Act on the New Zealand Legislation website.
