$6.8m boost for water projects

Council to move forward on local and regional initiatives

Waipa¯ District Council has received $6.8 million in stimulus funding to deliver water projects in the district. The significant funding boost is from the Department of Internal Affairs for water supply, wastewater and stormwater projects, following approval of adelivery plan put forward by council in September.

The plan placed high importance on supporting economic recovery through job creation and maintaining, increasing and accelerating investment in core waters infrastructure renewal and maintenance.

Acting chief executive KenMorris said the funding enabled council tomove forward on a numberof local and regional initiatives without ratepayers footing the bill.

“Agreeing to participate in discussions on Three Waters Reform meantwehad access to funding thatweotherwise would not which can go towards maintenance and operations for the district immediately.”

The council agreed to participate in the Three Waters Reform in August, with the delivery plan submitted at the end of September.

The Three Waters Reform aims to significantly improve the safety and quality of drinking water services and the environmental performance of drinking water and wastewater systems acrossNewZealand.

Local government is currently responsible for investing in and delivering theirownthree waters infrastructure, which makes upa large proportion of property rates, said Ken.

“Waipa¯ has invested heavily into our three waters infrastructure overmanygenerations andweneed to be at the table tomakesure the final outcome takes this into account.

“Wewill consider all options put forward to help alleviate the impact on our ratepayers.”

Council staff arenow completing a request for information for the DIA which will be used to input into detailed modelling and analysis for the Three Waters Reform Steering Committee.

Participating in the initial stages of the Three Waters Reform is undertaken in good faith, with an option to ‘opt out’ without penalty at the end of the agreement term.

The agreement follows work undertaken over a three-year period between central and local government to address a numberof shortages and significant under-investment in the threewaters delivery model.

Newlegislation and the creation of Taumata Arowai, anewwater services regulator, has already resulted from this work.

The Three Waters Reform also aims tomove waters infrastructure funding to amore financially-stable footing, addressing affordability and capability shortages faced by manysmaller councils.

Waipa¯ has invested heavily into our three waters infrastructure overmany generations and we need to be at the table to make sure the final outcome takes this into account. Ken Morris