Water Services Entities Bill
The Water Services Entities Bill has been introduced to parliament.
02 June 2022
The Water Services Entities Bill has been introduced to parliament. The Bill establishes four public Water Services Entities to deliver day-to-day drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services across Aotearoa New Zealand from July 2024.
The reform is intended to ensure all New Zealanders have safe, clean and affordable water services.
The Water Services Entities Bill is the first in a suite of legislation to enact the Three Waters reforms. It sets out the ownership, governance, accountability arrangements relating to these entities and includes essential provisions for ongoing public ownership and engagement, and safeguards against future privatisation.
The Bill also sets out the geographical boundaries of the service delivery area for each of the four entities and provides transitional arrangements and establishment activities to ensure these four new entities are ready to deliver services from 1 July 2024.
By providing for the establishment of four Water Services Entities, this Bill paves the way for improved, effective and efficient management of three waters services and infrastructure.
The arrangements within this Bill is the first step to ensuring all New Zealanders will have access to safe, reliable and affordable three waters services that meet our environmental and cultural expectations, as well as the needs of the future.
Read the full Bill, and keep up with its progress through Parliament.