Hurunui District Council has set a direction for how its water services may be delivered in the future.

Councillors on Tuesday voted in favour of water services being delivered through the preferred structure of a joint Water Services Council Controlled Organisation (WSCCO) with Kaikōura District Council.

Consultation was undertaken from 20 March to 21 April 2025. A total of 53 written submissions were received, with 25 favouring a WSCCO and 23 favouring an in-house water services business unit. Five submissions didn’t indicate a preference.

Following this week’s decision, Council will work on a Water Services Delivery plan, which will be submitted for approval to the Department of Internal Affairs by the deadline of 3 September 2025 under the government’s Local Water Done Well reform.

Hurunui Mayor Marie Black said it was a moment of significance for the district, with the proposed changes having an effect over the next 20 to 30 years.

Hurunui Council CEO Hamish Dobbie said Kaikōura District Council will decide on its preferred option on 28 May 2025.

"If Kaikōura District Council decides not to go ahead with the proposed joint WSCCO, the matter will go back to our Council for further deliberations,” Dobbie said.

Mayor Black called it “a brave new world” and said there were strengths and weaknesses to both options presented to councillors but it was beholden on councillors “to be as influential as possible to future-proof the service delivery model our district deserves and which it has supported for a number of years”.

Cr Pauline White, in voting in favour, called it a “heavy decision. I will be pushing for us to have local voice as to how governors are selected.”

Mayor Black said she had been impressed by the depth of knowledge contained within the community’s submissions and acknowledged the magnitude of the decision that “fundamentally may change how the service is delivered but not the quality of service”.

“The volume of submissions received indicated the willingness to get involved and demonstrate you care for the community,” Mayor Black said.

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