Waitomo District Council addressed concerns over water services privatisation before deciding to hand its drinking and waste water services over to a multi council-controlled water organisation.
Piopio resident and former Tauranga mayoral candidate Chudleigh Haggett told a council hearing in May joining Waikato Water Done Well would result in private ownership run for “rich listers and greedy wealthy people who have no regard for the ratepayer only profit”.
The council reconvened this month to deliberate on submissions.
“There are concerns about potential privatisation,” said rural councillor Janette Osborne. “The Heads of Agreement does address that. There’s some safeguards.”
Privatisation of water services is explicitly prohibited under the Local Water Done Well framework. The government has committed to keeping water services in public ownership. New water service entities established under water done well will not be able to privatise, enter into franchise agreements, or dispose of significant infrastructure necessary for providing water services, councllors were told.
Each council signing up to the organisation becomes a shareholder.
Councillors voted to include joining the council-controlled Waikato Water Done Well organisation in its annual plan for 2025-26.
Hauraki, Matamata-Piako, Waipā, South Waikato, and Ōtorohanga district councils are all following a similar process, while Taupō District Council has opted to wait and see how the organisation goes.
“For a whole lot of reasons, it’s not feasible to try and go it alone,” said Waitomo deputy mayor Allan Goddard. “The only feasible option is a council-controlled organisation.”
Councillor Janene New was cognisant of future-proofing water services delivery to ratepayers.
“It’s not for the here and now, it’s what’s happening in 30 years’ time,” she said.
“I’m a bit nervous about it, knowing my name might be attached to it,” said Councillor Dan Tasker.
Joining Waikato Water Done Well will be formally adopted at the council’s June 30 meeting.
