43568 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government

43568 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government: How will councils’ Water Service Delivery Plans ensure compliance with the new requirements to reinvest revenue from water services back into water infrastructure improvements?

Hon Simon Watts: Councils are required to ringfence water services spending in their water services delivery plans, regardless of which delivery model they choose. The economic regulation regime will give New Zealanders peace of mind that councils and water organisations are spending sufficient revenue (collected through rates or water charges) on water infrastructure. The Commerce Commission will have a range of regulatory tools to help achieve this outcome, including mandatory information disclosure by water services providers to promote efficient practices and protections for consumers.