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.

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

We invited the community to give us feedback on two options:

• 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 offers the best outcomes for our community by spreading costs over a larger population and making it more cost-efficient to provide drinking, waste, and stormwater services 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.

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. The joint Water Services Delivery Plan has been accepted by the Department of Internal Affairs and is available 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.