In a move that surprised its closest neighbour, Tauranga’s council has decided to go it alone on delivering water services, at least initially.

Tuesday’s decision came minutes after the Western Bay of Plenty District Council voted to pursue a shared service with Tauranga.

Western Bay Mayor James Denyer is “disappointed” the district has been left an “orphan”, and Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale isn’t happy either.

Mere months ago, the former Olympian and Denyer went rowing on the Wairoa River to promote discussion about Local Water Done Well and plug the benefits of working together.

Tauranga Mayor and Olympic rower Mahé Drysdale and Western Bay Mayor James Denyer went rowing on the Wairoa River in April. Photo / Tauranga City Council

Councils have until September 3 to submit a plan for managing drinking, storm and wastewater services under the Government’s Local Water Done Well programme.

After a three-hour debate, Tauranga’s council voted six-four on Tuesday to provide water services in-house until July 2028 at the latest.

Denyer told Local Democracy Reporting this was a surprise, given the councils had been working together for a long time and his staff and councillors thought that would continue.

The risk of leaving the water services decision to councils was ending up with “orphan” councils, Denyer said.

“I thought we’d had it all sewn up with Tauranga, but now that basically seems to be applying to us.”

Tauranga was an obvious choice of partner because the councils already shared services, he said.

Ōmokoroa’s wastewater was treated in Tauranga, while the Waiari Water Supply Scheme in Western Bay provided water to Pāpāmoa.

The Waiāri Water Supply Scheme opened in 2023. Photo / Andrew Warner

Denyer said it was unclear how his council would manage water services now, but it could not wait until 2028 for Tauranga.

Western Bay councillors voted eight-four to work with Tauranga towards forming a multi-council controlled organisation to deliver water services, subject to Tauranga’s support.

Tauranga officials had recommended a similar arrangement to its councillors, involving the Western Bay and Thames-Coromandel district councils.

This would have delivered water services through a separate entity with its own board and staff from July 2027.

Tauranga Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular said she needed “robust financial analysis” to make a decision, and she was not quite there.

Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular. Photo / David Hall

She suggested the council deliver water in-house with the intention of transitioning to a council-controlled organisation by July 2028.

“This option allows us to take our time, to prepare our financials [and] to better understand the risk.”

Scoular also wanted Tauranga to engage with other nearby councils about water services in the meantime.

Drysdale said this was “short-sighted” and just delaying things.

He said the multi-council option was subject to due diligence, so councils could pull out if they wanted to.

“The issue that this council has had over the last 20 years is delaying, delaying, delaying until you have perfect information. We’re never going to have perfect information.

“I actually want to deliver things.”

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale. Photo / David Hall

Tauranga risked losing Western Bay and Thames-Coromandel as partners if they did not commit now, he said.

During the discussion, staff revealed the Western Bay councillors’ decision.

Drysdale said not working with Western Bay was “bad faith” because they had worked together over waters and already shared services, and they were a “no-brainer” as a partner.

“We’ve worked very closely with them and we’re basically casting them aside now.”

He wanted the council to confirm its intention to work with Western Bay and said not doing so was an “unacceptable risk”.

“We’re going to leave them [Western Bay council] hanging high and dry because we can’t make a decision.”

Councillor Marten Rozeboom. Photo / David Hall

Councillor Marten Rozeboom was also concerned Tauranga would be left behind.

“We need to be very clear about where we as a council want to go … if we are not on the bus, the bus is going to leave us behind.”

Waiting to see what other councils were doing then deciding was not good leadership or governance, he said.

Other councils would need to act, and Tauranga would be alone, Rozeboom said.

Councillor Steve Morris it was important to offer leadership and resources to the other councils in the region.

Councillor Steve Morris. Photo / David Hall

“I’m also reminded of those very wise words, when it comes to leadership, from [US rapper] Kendrick Lamar, which are, ‘Sit down, be humble’.”

He wanted the councils to work together and Scoular’s suggested option offered this, Morris said.

Councillor Hautapu Baker said it was a “legacy decision” for the city and he wanted to take the time to get it right.

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The wellbeing of the water and waterways needed to be central to their decision-making, he said.

“It’s important that we take care with our wai moving forward.”

Tauranga City Council would submit a Water Services Delivery Plan for an in-house model to the Department of Internal Affairs.

The intention was to transition to a council-controlled organisation for water, wastewater and perhaps stormwater by July 2028 at the latest.

The council would welcome discussions and information-sharing with other Bay of Plenty region councils, Thames-Coromandel and Taupō.

How Tauranga voted:

For: Jen Scoular, Steve Morris, Glen Crowther, Rick Curach, Hautapu Baker, Hemi Rolleston

Against: Mahé Drysdale, Kevin Schuler, Rod Taylor, Marten Rozeboom

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.