Services and activities
The water supply group includes activities and services related to water supply.
The DCC collects, stores and treats raw water to make it of a standard that is safe to drink. The water is supplied in adequate quantities for drinking and other uses to Dunedin homes, businesses and fire hydrants, for use by Dunedin’s communities and firefighters. It is supplied through a reticulated water system of pipelines that distribute water from treated water reservoirs to property boundaries. Some residents use bore-water, surface water or other sources of water to meet their water needs.
By delivering a reticulated water system, the DCC ensures that every customer connected to the network receives adequate quantities of safe water with a minimal impact on the environment and at an acceptable financial cost.
Community outcomes
The water supply group contributes to the following community outcomes:
- A sustainable city with healthy and treasured natural environments
- A healthy city with reliable and quality water, wastewater and stormwater systems
- A supportive city with caring communities and a great quality of life
Significant negative effects:
The collection, treatment and distribution of water have potential negative effects on the local community. The 3 Waters Strategic Direction Statement and the system planning approach prioritises and plans the resolution of these issues and recognises that some issues can only be resolved pragmatically over longer periods of time.
- Location of treatment plants close to residential properties; poor water treatment could cause noise and/or odour issues.
- Poor drinking water quality can cause sickness in the community and effect the ability to use water for domestic and trade purposes.
Potential negative effects are managed as part of the day-to-day operation of the water supply activity. Preventative maintenance, emergency management and supply specific water safety plans are in place are in place to limit disruption to wellbeing.
- High water supply costs that may affect industries expanding/relocating to Dunedin or treatment upgrades costs being unviable for those ratepayers on low incomes.
Efficiently manage and maintain the water supply services. System planning looks at long term strategic investment objectives and outcomes for the optimal cost/benefit.
- Water take (e.g. taking water from a river for treatment) and discharges of wastewater from the drinking water treatment plants (e.g. backwash water used to clean membranes).
Potential negative effects are managed as part of the day-to-day operation of the water supply activity. Activities are permitted and regulated by conditions of relevant resources, which ensure potential adverse effects are managed at acceptable levels. Chlorine is removed (using a de-chlorination unit) from any discharges from the water treatment plants to control potential contamination from water production.
Measuring performance
| Measure | Data Source | Actual Year 2 2022/23 | Target 2024/25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level of service: The water tastes and looks pleasant is supplied at adequate pressure | ||||
| Percentage of residents satisfied with water pressure and quality | ROS | 72% | >70% | |
| Level of service: The water is safe to drink | ||||
| The extent to which the drinking water supply complies with: (DIA measure) | a) Part 4 of drinking water standards (bacteria compliance criteria) | Internal data | 81% | 100% |
| b) Part 5 of drinking water standards (protozoa compliance criteria) | 98.60% | 100% | ||
| Level of service: Service calls are responded to promptly | ||||
| Where the DCC attends a call out in response to a fault or unplanned interruption to its networked reticulation system, the following median response times are measured. (DIA measure) | a) Attendance for urgent call outs: from the time that notification is received, to the time that the service personnel reach the site | Internal data | 49 minutes | <60 minutes |
| b) Resolution of urgent call outs: from the time that notification is received to the time that service personnel confirm resolution of the fault or interruption | 95 minutes | <240 minutes | ||
| c) Attendance for non-urgent callouts: from the time that notification is received, to the time that the service personnel reach the site | 0.91 days (1,306 minutes) | <1 day (1,440 minutes) | ||
| d) Resolution of non-urgent callouts: from the time that notification is received to the time that service personnel confirm resolution of the fault or interruption | 1.83 days (2,631 minutes) | <1.67 days (2,400 minutes) | ||
| The total number of complaints received about any of the following:(DIA measure) | Level of service: The water tastes and looks pleasant | |||
| Drinking water clarity | Internal data | 119 complaints | Not applicable | |
| Drinking water taste | 9 complaints | Not applicable | ||
| Drinking water odour | 2 complaints | Not applicable | ||
| Level of service: Water is supplied at adequate pressure | ||||
| The total number of complaints received about drinking water pressure or flow | Internal data | 161 complaints | Not applicable | |
| Level of service: The water supply is reliable | ||||
| The total number of complaints received about continuity of supply | Internal data | 531 complaints | Not applicable | |
| Level of service: The Council is responsive to customer concerns | ||||
| a. Response to any of these issues per 1,000 connections to the networked reticulation system | Internal data | 0.24 per 1,000 connections | Not applicable | |
| b. Total complaints expressed per 1,000 connections to networked reticulation system | 18.1 per 1,000 connections | <15 per 1,000 connections | ||
| Level of service: Water resources are used efficiently and sustainably * | ||||
| The average consumption of drinking water per day per resident within the DCC district * | Internal data | 280 litres per day | <240 litres per day | |
|
The percentage of real water loss from the networked reticulation system (including a description of the methodology to calculate this). Calculation method: 1. Treatment plant production minus non-domestic minus domestic minus known unbilled = Estimated non-revenue water 2. Estimated non-revenue water divided by periods’ treatment plan production = Percentage real water loss | 15% | < 20% | ||
* levels of service statements and measures that will help monitor progress towards Council’s zero carbon 2030 target.
ROS - Residents’ Opinion Survey
| Dunedin City Council Funding Impact Statement for the Year Ended 30 June 2025 for Water Supply | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 Annual Plan | 2024/25 Long-term plan | 2024/25 Annual Plan | |
| (shown in $000s) | Annual Plan | Long-term plan | Annual Plan |
| Sources of operating funding | |||
| General rates, uniform annual general charges, rates penalties | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Targeted rates | 27,862 | 26,534 | 32,045 |
| Subsidies and grants for operating purposes | 1,760 | 0 | 0 |
| Fees and charges | 5,717 | 6,457 | 6,632 |
| Internal charges and overheads recovered | 0 | 0 | 316 |
| Interest and dividends from investments | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Local authorities fuel tax, fines, infringement fees, and other receipts | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total operating funding (A) | 35,339 | 32,991 | 38,993 |
| Applications of operating funding | |||
| Payments to staff and suppliers | 17,311 | 14,795 | 21,728 |
| Finance costs | 4,194 | 1,339 | 6,407 |
| Internal charges and overheads applied | 1,719 | 1,638 | 1,916 |
| Other operating funding applications | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total application of operating funding (B) | 23,224 | 17,772 | 30,051 |
| Surplus/(deficit) of operating funding (A-B) | 12,115 | 15,219 | 8,942 |
| Sources of capital funding | |||
| Subsidies and grants for capital expenditure | 0 | 0 | 119 |
| Development and financial contributions | 818 | 837 | 819 |
| Increase/(decrease) in debt | 21,403 | 3,802 | 23,820 |
| Gross proceeds from sale of assets | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lump sum contributions | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other dedicated capital funding | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total sources of capital funding (C) | 22,221 | 4,639 | 24,758 |
| Application of capital funding | |||
| Capital expenditure | |||
| - to meet additional demand | 2,815 | 2,060 | 3,356 |
| - to improve the level of service | 14,521 | 7,160 | 17,307 |
| - to replace existing assets | 17,000 | 7,548 | 13,037 |
| Increase/(decrease) in reserves | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Increase/(decrease) of investments | 0 | 3,090 | 0 |
| Total application of capital funding (D) | 34,336 | 19,858 | 33,700 |
| Surplus/(deficit) of capital funding (C-D) | -12,115 | -15,219 | -8,942 |
| Funding balance ((A-B)+(C-D)) | 0 | 0 | 0 |