Most Upper Hutt ratepayers know little or nothing about the proposal to transfer our water assets to Metro Water (Tiaki Wai). For a decision with such far-reaching consequences, that should concern every resident.
These assets were not gifted to us by Wellington bureaucrats or regional planners. They were paid for, built, and maintained by generations of Upper Hutt ratepayers. Yet the Council appears prepared to transfer control without first securing a clear and informed public mandate.
Many residents are still asking basic questions. Will rates be reduced proportionately if water services are transferred? What safeguards exist against rising water charges? Who will be accountable if costs exceed projections?
The lack of public awareness is itself an indictment of the process. Consultation is not achieved by quietly advancing a proposal and hoping people discover it. Genuine consultation requires informed consent.
Many residents see Metro Water (Tiaki Wai) as Three Waters under another name. Looking at a comparison it is a fair observation and the Council has failed to properly address it.
If councillors are confident this proposal is in Upper Hutt’s best interests, they should put their case directly to the people and seek a clear mandate through a referendum.
Background Information:
| Feature | Three Waters (Labour Government proposal) | Tiaki Wai (Metro Water / Local Water Done Well) |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership of assets | Assets transferred to large regional water entities | Assets transferred to Tiaki Wai, a council-controlled organisation |
| Geographic scope | Large multi-region entities across NZ | Wellington metropolitan region |
| Water services covered | Drinking water, wastewater, stormwater | Drinking water, wastewater, stormwater |
| Direct council control | Reduced; decisions made through regional governance structures and independent boards | Reduced; operational decisions made through a regional entity and independent board |
| Governance role for iwi/mana whenua | Formal representation through Regional Representative Groups | Mana whenua represented through the Partners Committee |
| Ability to borrow | Significantly increased compared with councils | Significantly increased compared with councils |
| Water charges | Expected to move increasingly toward user-pays charging | Water charges billed separately from council rates |
| Local ownership claim | Public ownership retained | Public ownership retained through council ownership |
| Legislative basis | Three Waters Reform Programme | Local Water Done Well legislation |
| Elected representatives involved in governance | 6 council representatives on each Regional Representative Group | 5 council representatives (one from each council shareholder) on the Partners Committee |
| Unelected representatives involved in governance | 6 mana whenua representatives on each Regional Representative Group | Representatives from 2 mana whenua partners on the Partners Committee |
| Ratio of elected to unelected governance representatives | 6 elected : 6 unelected (1:1) | 5 elected : 2 unelected (based on current partner structure) |
| Who appoints the operational board? | Regional Representative Group (6 council representatives + 6 mana whenua representatives) | Partners Committee (5 council representatives + mana whenua representatives) |
| Number of board members | Independent professional board; size varied by entity | Minimum 3, maximum 7 directors (currently 4 directors) |
| Are board members elected by the public? | No | No |
| Can voters directly remove board members? | No | No |
| Day-to-day operational decision-makers | Appointed board and management, not elected | Appointed board and management, not elected |
| Direct voter ability to replace key decision-makers | Indirect only, through elected representatives on governance bodies | Indirect only, through elected representatives on governance bodies |
Looking purely at governance structure, the strongest similarity is that in both models:
- The public does not elect the operational board.
- The public cannot directly remove board members.
- Operational control rests with appointed directors and executives.
- Governance includes both elected council representatives and unelected mana whenua representatives.
The strongest structural difference is that:
- Three Waters used a 50/50 council–mana whenua governance model (6:6).
- Tiaki Wai uses a governance structure in which council representatives are the majority (5 council representatives and 2 mana whenua partner representatives, based on the current arrangement).
A “thank you” to Stephen Dol for sending this letter to The Upper Hutt Connection.
10/06/26
The Upper Hutt Connection 