‘Sense of urgency’ as work on mega water entity begins

A group of mayors covering Greater Wellington and surrounding areas have officially promised to work together on a water services plan to replace Three Waters. Dame Kerry Prendergast, who is chairing the oversight advisory group for the new entity, confirmed a memorandum of understanding was signed yesterday by 10 participating councils across Greater Wellington, Wairarapa and Horowhenua. “They’ve all agreed to work together to get work done and understand what a delivery model for [drinking] water, waste water and storm water will look like,” Prendergast said. While it was early days, “the whole 10 are in the tent – that’s momentum,” she said. “They want to be part of their own destiny and don’t want anything imposed on their communities again that they haven’t had input in.” It was the first meeting and three more were scheduled till August. The entity promises lower rates rises and will be able to borrow more over a longer period at good rates. It intends to have “balance sheet separation” from councils – meaning its finances were not tied to councils and visa-versa. “We want to work to get ultimately the best outcome for ratepayers,” Lower Hutt mayor Campbell Barry, also chairperson of Wellington Water, said. The entity would not be in place to stop this years’s proposed rates increases – 16.9% in Hutt City and 16.4% in Wellington City (or 18% including a sludge levy) – but would mean future rates increases could be lessened because pipe fixes could be paid back over a longer period.