Several critics of the Three Waters reforms remain strident in their opposition despite Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty saying he received "positive" feedback about today's newly-announced changes.
Meanwhile, National and ACT quickly rejected the new plans as the water reforms are being pushed to become hot-button issues amid an election year.
The co-chairs of Communities 4 Local Democracy, which has previously lobbied the Government on behalf of 30 local councils, rejected the new reform plans.
Manawatu Mayor Helen Worboys and Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon said today's announcement was simply "the same plan with a new name" and said the plans had become politicised.
"Simply adding more entities and changing the name is a desperate attempt to save this plan and attempt to show they've done something with the $100 million they've sunk into this process so far," they said in a statement.
"We've been calling for a reset for this policy for some time, and were genuinely excited about having an opportunity to re-engage with the minister to map a great path forward for water reform."
Noisy criticism over the Government's reforms had centred on plans to strip local councils of ownership and decision-making over their water infrastructure, alongside proposed co-governance arrangements with local iwi.
The two mayors said the "plan still sees billions of dollars of assets confiscated without compensation from communities throughout the nation and greatly diminishes their say on the infrastructure they own and have built".
"It now appears this matter will be once and for all settled at the upcoming general election as there are clear choices for voters on this matter."
Political reaction
National local government spokesperson Simon Watts said "the message from Kiwis is very clear — they want local water assets in local hands, and with no divisive co-governance structures imposed on them".
Party leader Christopher Luxon has pledged to instead enforce stricter water regulations on local councils. (Source: 1News)
"Adopting 10 new entities rather than four makes a mockery of Labour's repeated claims that four entities was the only way to go and would provide huge economic benefits.
"National will restore council ownership and control, but with stronger central government oversight, including strict rules for water quality and for investment in infrastructure, so Kiwis don’t have to worry about sewage on their streets, un-swimmable beaches, or having to boil their drinking water."
The Opposition announced its own alternative water policy back in February.
The Greens' water services spokesperson Eugenie Sage said it was "pleased" there were now more entities but that "structural reform is pointless unless we manage land better and prioritise action to protect clean drinking water sources".
"Rather than continuing to allow for balance sheet separation, options such as a Crown guarantee for borrowing should have been investigated further to allow councils to be more closely accountable to their communities, while allowing them to invest.
"The failure to separate stormwater management is another missed opportunity. Managing stormwater needs to stay as the responsibility of local councils because of the connection between land use and stormwater volumes and quality."
ACT leader David Seymour used the continued plan to have 50/50 iwi representation on regional representative groups to attack Labour's Māori caucus and Chris Hipkins.
"This shows how powerful the Māori caucus is and that Chris Hipkins has no control over them," he said.
"If Hipkins had control over of them, he would have at least dropped the unpopular and divisive co-government element of Three Waters. Instead, Māori MPs are riding roughshod over him.
"There are real problems with drinking water quality in some communities, failing wastewater networks and sewage overflows into rivers and onto beaches. None of these problems are solved by expropriating ratepayer assets or with co-government."
'We've nailed it' - McAnulty
Q+A's Jack Tame digs into why the water reform programme has caused such a strong backlash. (Source: Breakfast)
The prime minister and Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty announced the changes to their water reforms this morning — which suggested would no longer be referred to as "Three Waters".
McAnulty said he had received "positive" feedback: "I briefed the mayors this morning and I have to say that the feedback has been positive.
"I can almost guarantee that there will be more mayors that support this proposal than support the last one."
The minister said alternative proposals were analysed but didn't work.
"I think we've nailed it," McAnulty said. "Honestly, there's a balance to strike here."
"We explored all the alternatives put forward through Communities 4 Local Democracy, or even the National Party, and it didn't stack up.
"The only way to make this work financially for ratepayers and local communities is to have a separate entity that's still owned by the council but is run independently by an independent governing body.
"That's the only way that credit agencies will allow them to borrow to the extent that they needed."
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