The Government will forge ahead with plans to scrap the previous government's controversial Three Waters legislation in early 2024.
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown confirmed the move today, saying the Government would restore council ownership and control of water assets by repealing and replacing the legislation, the last piece of which was passed in the final throes of the former Labour Government.
Brown said Cabinet had agreed to introduce and pass legislation "early next year" that would repeal Three Waters legislation.
While widely known as Three Waters reform, the Labour Government renamed the reform "Affordable Water Reform" in 2023.
"It’s clear the previous government’s approach of removing community control of water assets and prescribing co-governance was hugely unpopular and proposed a one size fits all approach to water services delivery," Brown said.
Brown said the Government was committed to addressing water infrastructure challenges that jeopardised the nation's health and prosperity and drove up household costs.
"The Coalition Government will instead implement a new regime which recognises the importance of local decision-making and flexibility for communities and councils to determine how their water services will be delivered in future. We will do this while ensuring a strong emphasis on meeting rules for water quality and long-term investment in infrastructure.
"We’ve listened to calls from mayors around the country for swift action and clarity."
He said specific provisions in the bill would address "immediate challenges" faced by councils which were currently preparing their 2024-2034 long-term plans under the previous government’s settings, by providing flexibility in setting plans.
The Bill would disestablish the previous government’s Northland and Auckland Water Services Entity.
That would end any remaining "costly and unnecessary activity" involved in setting up the entity, he said.
“I am writing to mayors and council chief executives today informing them of our decisions on the way forward, including key principles of the Government’s Local Water Done Well policy which has now started for further development, with key decisions planned for early next year.”
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