Waipa District Council and Hamilton City will join forces to sort out water management.
Waipa District Council and Hamilton City will join forces to sort out water management.
Waipa District Council and Hamilton City have launched a joint consultation process around forming a separate company to manage water, wastewater and stormwater.
In May this year both councils agreed a joint, non-asset owning shared waters management company was their preferred option for consultation to manage water services in thefuture, given growth and advantages of scale.
The proposed company would not own any major water assets - assets would remain 100 per cent owned by each council. All major decisions, including decisions on capital projects, investment and how to charge for water would continue to be made by elected members at respective councils.
The finances of each council would remain completely separate.
Waikato District Council, which has also been involved in discussions, has yet to decide whether or not it supports forming a company with the other two councils.
A month-long consultation process began yesterday and finishes on November 27. Verbal submissions will be heard on December 1 before a joint panel of three Hamilton City and three Waipa District Councillors, plus an independent chair. Both councils plan to make final decisions before Christmas so information can be factored into their draft 10-Year Plans to be released publicly early next year.
People can have their say on the proposal by picking up information and a form from council offices and libraries, or going to www.waterstudywaikato.org.nz/haveyoursay
