Waipa to confirm stand on water CCO

‘‘The company would not own any major water assets; assets like wastewater plants and reservoirs would remain 100 per cent owned by each council.

A decision is to be made by the Waipa District Council on its options on forming a water company.

One option is forming a nonasset owning company to manage water and wastewater services is its preferred option.

Since 2012 the council, along with Hamilton City and Waikato District Councils, has been considering how to more efficiently and cost-effectively deliver water and wastewater services.

Independent reports indicated councils would gain significant financial and non-financial benefits from forming a waters company.

Following a workshop in April, Waipa District Council said it would be willing to discuss a shared waters management company with Hamilton and Waikato.

The company would be a nonasset owning Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) that would employ staff to manage water, waste water and stormwater assets on behalf of the three councils.

The company would not own any major water assets; assets like wastewater plants and reservoirs would remain 100 per cent owned by each council.

All decisions would continue to be made by individual councils with the company advising each council on where and when to invest.

Each council would continue to decide how to charge its own community for water; the company could not make that decision.

At its council meeting his week, Waipa District Council was to decide whether or not a nonasset owning company was its preferred model.

If so, Waipa would reopen discussions with Hamilton city and Waikato district to nut out details before taking a formal proposal to the public later this year. A decision would only be made after an extensive public consultation process.

Hamilton has already resolved to form a shared waters management company with Waipa and Waikato, pending public consultation. Waikato District Council has yet to come to a position but has favoured an asset-owning model as originally recommended to all three councils.

If it is to proceed, forming a water company is likely to be taken to the public for comment via a formal consultation process later in the year.