Tauranga City Council has postponed its decision to confirm a preferred delivery model for future water services.

While Council was expected to make a decision on Monday, it opted instead to leave the report on the table to allow time for further discussions with the community prior to making a decision.

The decision comes after Thames Coromandel District Council signalled it wished to progress alongside Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council in a multi-council CCO at the end of April when Tauranga City Council’s public consultation had already concluded.

Mayor Mahé Drysdale said Council has been very open to working with any Council that provides mutually beneficial outcomes.

“Western Bay of Plenty District Council has always been our preferred partner, but we have had conversations with a number of councils and worked through different scenarios.

“Off the back of that scenario modelling, we now have two councils that we could progress with, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, whom we consulted alongside in April, and more recently Thames Coromandel District Council.”

“The involvement of Thames Coromandel District Council is a relatively recent development and before making a decision, and moving to due diligence, we need to update our community about our potential new partner and ensure the community is fully informed,” Drysdale said.

“Although a delay could compress the time required for submitting a Water Services Delivery Plan by 3 September, it is important that we get this right.

“We look forward to continuing to engage with all of our people and appreciate any feedback on how we can make Tauranga better.”

A decision on Council’s preferred delivery model is now expected on August 5 2025.

If a multi-council CCO was preferred, Council would also need to approve a Commitment Agreement, which would allow councils to work together and undertake a due diligence process that assesses a joint operating model.

The establishment of any multi-council CCO would be subject to all parties being satisfied with the outcomes of the due diligence process, and any council could choose to withdraw if it was dissatisfied with its findings.

Te Awanui Ward Councillor Hēmi Rolleston said it was appropriate to postpone the decision.

“This is one of the most important decisions this Council will make. Therefore, to leave this decision for a further three weeks is a practical decision, based on feedback from Iwi that they require more time, particularly with the relatively late inclusion of Thames Coromandel District Council.”

Community event

The Mayor and Councillors will be holding an information and Q&A session with the community about Local Water Done Well on Thursday, July 24 from 5-6pm at the University of Waikato in the Te Manawaroa Room.

Free parking will be available from 4.30pm on the day at the council parking building on Spring Street. 

Local Water Done Well is the New Zealand government's plan to reform how water services are managed and to tackle the country’s significant water infrastructure challenges.

During public consultation in April 2025 a total of 726 people provided submissions addressing ‘Why wai matters: Local Water Done Well’, via council’s online submissions form.