Queenstown Lakes District (QLDC) councillors hashed out a position on the government’s proposed Three Waters reform at an extraordinary council meeting on Monday (September 28).

Central government has asked for feedback from councils on the controversial proposal, which would see management of all council-run drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater transferred from local councils to one of four new water entities across the country.

The ‘position statement’ finalised at the meeting (which is not the QLDC’s formal or final decision) says while the QLDC supports the need for regulation, it has concerns about engagement, inadequate information, transparency, and the entity-based model.

“QLDC will strongly and actively oppose [the] government mandating the proposed entity-based model for water services delivery,” the statement says.

The position statement also rejects the government’s technical and fiscal modelling on the proposal and says the government needs to “establish a full programme of meaningful engagement with New Zealanders before taking further steps” on the Three Waters reforms.

Work on the Cardrona wastewater treatment plant.

Councillors have also recommended a staged approach to the reforms, particularly given the government is also currently tackling a review of the Resource Management Act and local government. 

Ultimately the council said it isn’t able to make any decisions on a future model for Three Waters service delivery in this district “as there is insufficient information and time available to meet the moral and legal requirements of council decision making and community consultation”.

The council’s position statement is due to be submitted to the Department of Internal Affairs today (Friday October 1).

PHOTO: Wānaka App