Commencing with our submission to Upper Hutt City Council’s Long Term Plan on 24 April 2024, we have continually sought from both local and central government; intervention sufficient to protect ‘older people’ and other ‘low income’ households from the unaffordable impact of local government rates, including the costs arising from Water Reforms (‘3 Waters’ and ‘Local Water
Done Well’ schemes).

Neither agency has been prepared to adequately consult on this critical issue. Local Government has proceeded on Government advice to avoid full consultation on the ‘water reform’ proposals and has sheltered behind the legislative provisions introduced to ‘shut down’ full ‘public participation’ in traditional consultation on Annual Plans.

Local government has been complicit in rapidly proceeding to implement a ‘fait accompli’ and the subterfuge has largely escaped notice of an uninformed community. Now, within 13 short days households throughout the former Wellington Water service area will incur their first charges under the new ‘TiakiWai’ regime.

We have not failed irretrievably our appeal for a better solution to this unacceptable outcome and are not alone in our campaign for a reasoned and lasting solution to this issue. There is growing public identification with the protest rallies of the Stop TiakiWai’ organisation and the continuing ‘calm and dignified’ analyses of ‘N Z Empowered.’

This is an unacceptable breach of democratic principle and the parliamentary opposition have been less than vigilant in resisting this departure from fundamental procedure. For the immediate future the public has been outmanoeuvred but the unfairness, inequity and inherent unsustainability in the charging model devised to recover the costs of ‘water reform’ impacting on households, will act as a catalyst for continuing wide public dissatisfaction.

Access to safe drinking water is a tenet of life on this planet. We are not opposed to centralisation of ‘water service entities’ per se. Rather, it is too important to be consigned to a simplistic funding model based on ‘user charges’ criteria.

Water services rank with ‘vote health’ demanding recognition as a first level ‘guardianship’ responsibility of central government. ‘TiakiWai’ should be substantially funded directly from taxation revenue. No other funding model will deliver fairness, equity and sustainability.

Political party candidates in the forthcoming general elections will each need to be challenged to commit to an early revision of the ongoing funding requirements of ‘Water Reforms’ and, indeed, redirection to the public purse of the ‘growth’ and ‘pre-treatment’ cost components; along with other nationally integrated infrastructure investments presently devolved to local government.


Authorised by:

Lew Rohloff
Vice President
Upper Hutt Grey Power Association

mail to: lew.rohloff14@gmail.com

A “thank you” to Lew Rohloff for sending this letter to The Upper Hutt Connection.

16/06/26