Three Waters Steering Committee Update - 25 August
This page is a historic record.
It contains links to old and/or superseded documents for reference purposes only.
For current information go to: Water Services Policy and Legislation (Updated February 2024)
Tēnā koutou katoa,
The Society of Local Government Managers, Local Government New Zealand, the Department of Internal Affairs, and the Treasury have formed a Steering Committee that will work in partnership to provide oversight and guidance to support progress towards reform of three waters services.
The Steering Committee will provide regular updates to you as local government Mayors, Chairs and Chief Executives through this channel. If you have any questions or comments for the Steering Committee you may email them to this mailbox.
This email has been sent to Mayors, Chairs and Chief Executives only. Please share this email with your staff and wider elected members as appropriate.
Have you completed and sent in your MoUs? Final date for acceptance is Monday, 31 August 2020
As you are aware, to access the three waters investment package territorial authorities must agree to participate in the first phase of the three waters services reform programme by signing the Memorandum of Understanding by 31 August 2020.
We have already received a number of signed MoUs. However, we are aware of other councils that have met and resolved to sign the MoU that are yet to send in the completed MoU to the threewaters@dia.govt.nz email address.
If you have signed the MoU but not yet received your countersigned MoU back, please email the team at threewaters@dia.govt.nz.
The process for completing these document is as follows:
- Fill in the full name of your territorial authority on page 1.
- On page 6 fill in the name of your territorial authority’s Chief Executive, or other delegated contact person, with a contact email address.
- On Page 7, fill in the names of Mayor, Chief Executive, and witness (as required) in the signing blocks, as well as the full name of the territorial authority in each box. Then have each party sign as indicated.
- Add the date each party signed under the execution blocks in the space provided. (Note that the date of signing should be the same for each territorial authority signatory.)
- Scan and send the whole document back to threewaters@dia.govt.nz by 31 August 2020.
- It will be signed by the Chief Executive of DIA (or delegee) and a copy will be returned to you for your records.
Summary report on Steering Committee workshops
Please find attached the Three Waters Steering Committee workshop: summary report. This report summarises the series of 14 workshops held between 20 July and
7 August 2020.
The workshops followed the Prime Minister’s 8 July $761 million three waters funding and reform announcement, and were designed to help councils understand the approach to the reform programme and the requirements for gaining access to the three waters investment package.
They also provided an opportunity for participants to raise questions and discuss the Three Waters Reform Programme proposals and design with members of the Steering Committee.
The Summary Report includes an overview of the workshops, a summary of key themes, a detailed compilation of questions and comments and a table of workshop dates and locations.
This report will be sent to all registered workshop participants shortly and will be made available on the Three Waters Reform Programme Webpage
Next steps following signing the MoU
Following the completed MoU, Territorial Authorities will need to enter into a Funding Agreement that specifies what funding can be spent on and the conditions attached to the funding; and
Specify the projects that funding will be applied to in a Delivery Plan, to be submitted to Crown Infrastructure Partners, 3waters@crowninfrastructure.govt.nz, copied to threewaters@dia.govt.nz, for approval prior to release of funding. These documents will need to be completed and submitted by 30 September.
Grant Funding Guidance on the process for accessing the investment package, as well as Funding Agreement and Delivery Plan templates, and Frequently Asked Questions on the funding, is available on our webpage.
Further engagement over the coming months
The Steering Committee is being kept informed of planning by DIA and Taumata Arowai for iwi/Māori engagement hui across the country to enable more detailed discussion on Māori rights and interests in the reform programme.
The details of the workshops are being finalised, but we anticipate these hui will be held in mid-late September and early October.
Beyond this, we will continue ad-hoc sessions and webinars, targeted engagement and formal information-sharing sessions, with local government, water service providers, iwi/Māori and interested parties as we progress the reform programme.
The Steering Committee will also continue to meet and provide your council with update emails.
Nāku noa, nā
Three Waters Steering Committee
