Local Water Done Well


Local Water Done Well is the government’s approach to reforming the way water services are delivered in New Zealand in the future. The aim is to address New Zealand’s long-standing water infrastructure challenges.

As per the Local Water Done Well legislation, we had to rethink our approach to delivering water services in the future and consult on it.

The two options we invited the community to give us feedback on were:

  • Option 1 – A multi–council-controlled organisation
  • Option 2 - An internal business unit

Option one outlines the arrangements for creating a multi-council-controlled organisation with the Westland District Council and Grey District Council. This was the preferred option as it offered the best outcomes for our community, as it spreads the costs over a larger population and will make providing drinking, waste, and stormwater services more cost-efficient for residents on the West Coast.

The second option described how a stand-alone business unit outside of Buller District Council could deliver water services to residents in the Buller District.

For each option, we considered the required infrastructure, scheduled investments, necessary upgrades, the organisational structure needed to deliver water services, the impact on existing staff, and the likely financial implications. We presented this information in a Consultation Document

Hearings and deliberations took place on Monday 30 June.

Buller District Council voted in favour of a joint Water Services Council Controlled Organisation (WSCCO) at an Extraordinary Council meeting on 30 June 2025, with Grey District Council following suit on 3 July 2025, and Westland reaching the same decision on 24 July.

Councils then begin working together on a joint Water Services Delivery Plan in accordance with the coalition government’s Local Water Done Well reform.

This plan has now been accepted the Department of Internal Affairs and can be found here. All three councils are now working on the transition phase.

The new arrangements are expected to start coming into effect from 1 July 2027.


Local Water Done Well is the government’s approach to reforming the way water services are delivered in New Zealand in the future. The aim is to address New Zealand’s long-standing water infrastructure challenges.

As per the Local Water Done Well legislation, we had to rethink our approach to delivering water services in the future and consult on it.

The two options we invited the community to give us feedback on were:

  • Option 1 – A multi–council-controlled organisation
  • Option 2 - An internal business unit

Option one outlines the arrangements for creating a multi-council-controlled organisation with the Westland District Council and Grey District Council. This was the preferred option as it offered the best outcomes for our community, as it spreads the costs over a larger population and will make providing drinking, waste, and stormwater services more cost-efficient for residents on the West Coast.

The second option described how a stand-alone business unit outside of Buller District Council could deliver water services to residents in the Buller District.

For each option, we considered the required infrastructure, scheduled investments, necessary upgrades, the organisational structure needed to deliver water services, the impact on existing staff, and the likely financial implications. We presented this information in a Consultation Document

Hearings and deliberations took place on Monday 30 June.

Buller District Council voted in favour of a joint Water Services Council Controlled Organisation (WSCCO) at an Extraordinary Council meeting on 30 June 2025, with Grey District Council following suit on 3 July 2025, and Westland reaching the same decision on 24 July.

Councils then begin working together on a joint Water Services Delivery Plan in accordance with the coalition government’s Local Water Done Well reform.

This plan has now been accepted the Department of Internal Affairs and can be found here. All three councils are now working on the transition phase.

The new arrangements are expected to start coming into effect from 1 July 2027.

  • Tick of approval for West Coast water plan

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    The Secretary for Local Government has signed off on the West Coast Water Services Delivery Plan, confirming how drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services will be sustainably delivered and funded across the region over the next decade. The approval confirms that Buller, Grey, and Westland District Councils will now be able to proceed with establishing a joint council-controlled organisation to manage water services on behalf of their communities.

    Read more in our Media Release.

  • West Coast councils consider adopting joint Water Services Delivery Plan under Local Water Done Well

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    The Buller, Grey and Westland district councils will this week vote on whether to adopt a new Water Services Delivery Plan and submit it to the Government by 3 September. The plan is required under the Government’s water reform programme, Local Water Done Well. This replaced the affordable Water Reform of the previous government and applies to drinking water, wastewater and stormwater. Further details can be found in the Q&As under documents on this page.

    Read more in our Media Release.


  • Coast councils forge ahead with plans for water service delivery under Local Water Done Well

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    Buller, Grey and Westland District Councils are set to form a multi-council-controlled organisation for water services delivery under the coalition government’s Local Water Done Well legislation. Buller District Council voted in favour of a joint Water Services Council Controlled Organisation (WSCCO) at an Extraordinary Council meeting on 30 June 2025, with Grey District Council following suit on 3 July 2025, and Westland reaching the same decision on 24 July.

    Read more in our Media Release

  • Outcomes from Local Water Done Well hearings and deliberations

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    Buller District Council has chosen a direction for how its water services may be delivered in the future. Between 16 May and 13 June 2025, council invited the Buller community to provide feedback on two options, which were to form either a multi-council-controlled organisation with two or more District Councils, or an internal business unit based within Buller District Council.

    Read more in our Media Release.

  • Local Water Done Well submissions to be considered next week

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    Buller District Council (BDC) will come together next week to consider 35 submissions on the proposed options for how Buller delivers its water services in future under the Local Water Done Well legislation. The hearings and deliberations will take place at the Clocktower Chambers in Palmerston Street on Monday 30 June and Tuesday 1 July.

    Read more in our Media Release.

  • Council kicks off Local Water Done Well conversation

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    Council will ask the community for feedback on how the district’s drinking, storm and wastewater are managed in the future. Consultation runs between Friday, 16 May and 4:30 pm Friday, 13 June 2025.

    Read more in our Media Release.

  • Council sets the date for Local Water Done Well consultation

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    Buller District Council has confirmed the timeline for its Local Water Done Well consultation. Council will ask the community for feedback on how to manage the district’s drinking, storm and wastewater in the future as required under the Local Water Done Well legislation between 16 May and 13 June 2025.

    Read more in our Media Release.

  • Buller District Council explores options to manage Buller’s drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater in the future

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    Buller District Council reviewed options for managing the district's drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater in the future at a public workshop this week.

    At present, the shortlisted options are:

    • an internal business unit or division, meaning to keep the status quo
    • a single-asset-owning council-controlled organisation (CCO)
    • a multi-asset-owning council-controlled organisation (CCO)

    Read more in our Media Release.

  • Buller District Council evaluates next steps towards Local Water Done Well

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    Buller District Council is looking at ways to tackle the next stage of the Coalition Government’s Local Water Done Well legislation.

    Find out more in our media release.

Page last updated: 28 Nov 2025, 12:36 PM