Local Water Done Well (LWDW) is a Government-led reform aimed at addressing long-standing drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure challenges across the country. It is intended to address inconsistencies in water services delivery and promote access by the community to safe, reliable and sustainable water services.
While the reforms provide some local flexibility on how this is achieved, it puts a strong emphasis on compliance with central government rules and regulations.
The DCC has been preparing for this type of reform for several years. We have invested in our people and processes, and we have proactively set up our contracts to allow for the delivery of water services in ways that would work under either model.
Over the past four years, the DCC has become one of the few councils that can deliver on its planned work programme.
LWDW requires all councils to prepare a Water Services Delivery Plan by September 2025. But first, as part of forming the Plan, we need to identify a proposed water services delivery model. We are consulting with you now to ask your view on what water services delivery model we should choose.
The water services delivery models informationKey principles of Local Water Done Well reform
At its core, the LWDW reform is guided by a few key principles:
- water services must be financially sustainable, with sufficient revenue for long-term investment
- water services delivery models should be fit-for-purpose, with the right structure and governance to meet both the compulsory requirements and local needs
- there is an expectation that new, stricter rules for water services and infrastructure quality will drive investment.
The background to Local Water Done Well
In 2016, a widespread outbreak of gastroenteritis in Havelock North, originating from the town’s water supply, resulted in an estimated 5500 of the town's 14,000 residents becoming ill with campylobacteriosis. Some 45 people were hospitalised, three died and some suffered long-term health complications.
This shook public confidence in this fundamental service and highlighted national concerns about the state of drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure (three waters). This prompted the Government to undertake a significant programme of work, resulting in:
- updates to the drinking water standards
- the establishment of a drinking water regulator (Taumata Arowai)
- identification of a range of issues relating to the sustainable provision of three waters services across the country, leading to the previous Government’s proposed ‘Three Waters Reform’ later renamed the ‘Affordable Waters’ programme.
The “Affordable Waters” programme has now been repealed by the current Government and replaced with “Local Water Done Well Reform”. Find out more at the Dept of Internal Affairs - Water services reform frequently asked questions.