It’s nearly time to tell Tauranga City Council what you think about plans to futureproof the delivery of our water services.

As part of central government’s policy programme, ‘Local Water Done Well’, councils are required to consult with their communities and decide on a preferred future delivery model.

For Tauranga, the options include keeping water services as a council-run operation or establishing a council-controlled organisation to do that job, either on a standalone basis or jointly with other partner councils.

Tauranga City Council Mayor Mahé Drysdale said it’s a big decision, but the priority is taking care of people today while planning ahead.

“A business case has assessed all our options, and we think the best long-term proposition is to move to a joint council-controlled organisation in partnership with other councils.

“This model shows us that we can achieve benefits based on scale and size, while effectively retaining ownership of our waters assets. This aligns with the Government’s push for councils to work together on water,” Drysdale said.

“A council-controlled organisation also means we would be able to appoint directors or trustees with the right expertise to meet our expectations. These include pushing for further efficiencies, while still delivering high quality water and wastewater services.

“It would also provide access to borrowing we wouldn’t otherwise have if we were to keep these services within council. For Tauranga, that means being better prepared to meet demands driven by future growth and technological advances.”

Consultation will run from March 28 to April 28, 2025, alongside the council’s draft Annual Plan, and will be supported by a detailed consultation document. The community will be asked to identify what matters to them through a series of values-based questions, as well as ranking and providing comments on the options.

“We want to hear from the community before we make this big decision. Head online from March 28 to tell us what matters at: letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz. Or come to one of our events and tell us in person.”