John Bishara Ngati Tuwharetoa. Erica Sinclair Photography
The councils with shares in Waikato Waters Ltd have received backing for their water services delivery plans from the secretary for local government.
The independent chair of the Shareholders Representative Forum, Don McLeod, said the seven councils to clarify how they would proceed to deliver water and wastewater services under Local Water Done Well.
The district councils are Waipā, Ōtorohanga, Waitomo, Matamata-Piako, South Waikato Taupo and Hauraki.
“The plans are a signal of the shift from council delivery of water and wastewater services as part of a range of things they do, to being a member of a shared entity that is entirely focused on water and wastewater service delivery as its one and only core business,” he said.
Waipā, Waitomo and South Waikato will transfer their water and wastewater assets and services to Waikato Waters Ltd from next July 2026, Matamata-Piako in October 2026 and Ōtorohanga and Hauraki in July 2027.
Taupō District Council will establish a stand-alone business unit under its plan and remain a shareholder of Waikato Waters Ltd. Its plan will be reviewed in two years.
See: Powhiri for establishment board
John Bishara (Tūwharetoa), Susan O’Regan (Mayor, Waipā), Jon Lamonte (Establishment Board member), Samual Mikaere (Te Nehenehenui), Jaydene Kana (Establishment Board member), Max Baxter (Mayor, Ōtorohanga), Adrienne Wilcock (Mayor, Matamata-Piako), John Robertson (Mayor, Waitomo), Manaaki Nepia (Waikato Tainui), Gary Petley (Mayor, South Waikato)
