Residents across Hawke’s Bay are now invited to have their say on what will be an intergenerational decision, as public consultation officially opens on the region’s preferred model for delivering water services to communities in the future.

At a series of council meetings last month, Central Hawke’s Bay District Council, Hastings District Council, Napier City Council and Wairoa District Council each endorsed a joint water services organisation as the most cost-effective, efficient and resilient option for delivering drinking water, wastewater and urban stormwater services and meeting the requirements of the Government’s Local Water Done Well reforms. Two alternative options are also being presented for public feedback.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the work undertaken by councils to date and the feedback now being sought from communities were critical in what would be a significant decision by the four councils.

“Water is one of the most essential services we provide as councils – be it safe drinking water from the tap, reliable wastewater systems that protect public health, or stormwater networks that mitigate the damage from increasingly frequent extreme weather.

“Managing these services well is critical to how we live, work, and thrive and I am confident I speak on behalf of my fellow mayors and elected members when I say that the decision to endorse a joint water services organisation is not one we have taken lightly.”

She said the decision was about more than pipes and pumps. “It’s about future-proofing the region for generations to come”.

Central Hawke’s Bay Mayor Alex Walker said the regional option was the strongest one.

“We’re in a perfect storm in Central Hawke’s Bay. We’re having to invest in catch-up from underinvestment in past, meet growing regulatory expectations and invest for the future all at the same time.

“The cost per household for Central Hawke’s Bay is the highest across the region. It’s very clear the model is not a silver bullet to our affordability issues, but in the current legislative environment, we are stronger together as Hawke’s Bay. It gives us the best chance of resolving these issues.”

She said it’s important to note that not all decisions have been made, either at a local or national level.

“Changes to things like wastewater standards will have a material effect on the cost to our households but are still yet to be completed and put into legislation.”

Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise reflected on the strong regional collaboration behind this milestone and the importance of public input at this stage.

“We’ve been working together on water services reform since 2018, with a shared commitment to what is best for our communities both now, and for future generations.

“The modelling clearly shows that coming together as a region to collectively deliver water services would enable enhanced delivery and capability, increase resilience, and provide better value for money across all four council areas - but before any decisions are finalised, we need to hear from the people who use and pay for these services.”

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said while a joint water services organisation, owned by all four councils, could make full use of the benefits of working collaboratively as a region, there is a lot of detail to work through yet.

“Under these Government reforms, there are options for councils to go it alone or join together with any number of others.

“There are pros and cons of each option, and work done to date indicates there are efficiencies through the scale of a regional model. In each corner of Hawke’s Bay, there are unique needs and considerations that would need to be factored into any regional entity in order for it to best serve all communities.”

He said for Wairoa, consultation material emphasises the importance of local voice and local representation in decision-making as key components of any future model.

Each council has published its own consultation materials, including details specific to the services and costs in their area. Submissions will close at 5pm, Sunday 15 June. Residents are encouraged to review these documents carefully and make a submission via their local council website or submission portal.

Mayor Wise said there is still a lot of work to do and at this stage councils are simply looking for a temperature gauge: go it alone or work together across the region.

“Making a final decision on how we deliver water services will be made by councils towards the end of July. Following that we will need to fine tune the chosen model and define what things will look like in detail, and this will take time.

“This is your opportunity to ask questions, consider the future you want to see for your council area and the wider region, and have your say.”

Residents can visit www.hbwater.nz to find and more and make a submission.

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