Horowhenua District Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), committing to work with other Councils throughout the Wellington region to develop a new plan that supports improved water management.

Under the Government's Local Water Done Well policy, Councils will be required to produce water service delivery plans that meet regulatory and investment requirements by mid-2025. The MoU will create a non-binding partnership among Councils to work together towards this goal.

Expressing optimism about the progress made, Mayor Bernie Wanden says, “It’s a promising start. Now that the Government has entrusted water management to Councils, we can strategically plan for the future with regional collaboration offering the most efficient outcomes.”

Recent developments in Auckland have underscored the importance of securing regional agreements for water services. Mayor Bernie, and other Chief Executives and Mayors, convened in Wellington recently to initiate discussions for the development of a similar regional model by signing a MoU.

“This MoU signifies the beginning of a collaboration effort towards securing funding for water infrastructure,” Mayor Bernie explains, “It was a good first step with unanimous support from all stakeholders. While our involvement is not fixed, we remain committed to exploring all of our options and determining the best course of action for our ratepayers, considering short and long term benefits.”

In addition to this initiative, Horowhenua District Council is also working with Councils across the Manawatū/Whanganui region to understand the benefits of a regional water services delivery organisation. This work will continue concurrently with the Wellington study.

Council will need to decide on a preferred regional option moving forward. It is anticipated that a Council decision will be made toward the end of 2024.

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