LGNZ doesn’t want water reforms rushed
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) has asked the Government to slow down its contentious Three Waters reforms, and delay the hand-over of complex storm water systems to new centralised entities.
The national organisation representing councils published its submission to the parliamentary committee considering the Government’s Three Waters reforms yesterday. The reforms would have the country’s three waters – fresh, waste, and storm water – managed by four public water entities instead of councils.
LGNZ president Stuart Crosby said the transition of water services from council to entities should be more phased.
‘‘The water services entities should start operating when they and their councils are ready, and this has to reflect the variable nature, up and down New Zealand and the water space,’’ Crosby said.
LGNZ has suggested that one entity could be ‘‘piloted’’ to begin with. The Government has set a deadline for completing the reforms of July 2024.
‘‘The reality is transition is well under way now, and there are boots on the ground or people now actively working in that space of transition . . . Drop-dead deadline dates may not be the smartest way to approach this.’’
Crosby said the Government’s proposed inclusion of storm water in the reforms was ‘‘underdeveloped’’ and bespoke arrangements between the new entities and councils would be required.
Storm water infrastructure was complicated by how it overlapped with other council functions, such as roading, parks, and water catchment management.
‘‘Given the complicated situation, the one size fits all approach with regard to storm water is unlikely to work,’’ Crosby said. ‘‘There’s huge risk here, and the risk is more in the storm water space than it is in the water and waste water space, and that risk needs to be carefully managed, potentially at a longer transition.’’
Crosbie said LGNZ’s suggestion about storm water was new, but it was not too late for the Government to take up this recommendation.
LGNZ provided its submission to Parliament’s finance and expenditure select committee, which has been considering the Water Services Entities bill and will enact the reforms. The committee will make recommendations about any changes to the prospective law before further votes in the House proceed.