Have your say on how Central Districts Water engages with communities

The policy is required under the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025 and will guide how we engage with customers, communities, iwi and other stakeholders when making decisions about drinking water, wastewater and stormwater. Feedback is open until Friday 27 November.

From 1 July 2027, Central Districts Water will become responsible for delivering your drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services which are currently managed by Rangitīkei District Council, Horowhenua District Council and Palmerston North City Council. Until that date, councils will continue providing those services.

Central Districts Water Chief Executive Chris Dyhrberg says the draft policy is an early opportunity to establish how our new organisation will engage and listen to the communities we serve.

“Good engagement helps us make better decisions. Our communities have local knowledge and ideas that can help shape how we plan and deliver water services and projects. This policy sets out when and how we’ll involve our community in important decisions, so they know when they can have a say and how their feedback will be considered.”

The draft policy explains how we will determine whether a decision is significant, when it will seek community input and what different forms of engagement could look like. It also shares how we will engage with our shareholder councils and Ngā Tapuwae o Hāu, an alliance of iwi and hapu from the districts of the shareholder councils.

People are invited to share what they like, what should change, and how they would prefer to receive updates or participate in future engagement.“This is not a consultation on water bills or individual projects just yet. Those conversations are coming up. In March next year, we plan to ask for feedback on our first Water Services Strategy, including investment priorities and pricing for water services,” Dyhrberg says.

People can read the proposed policy and complete the online feedback form or see it and complete a hardcopy form at the following locations:

Rangitīkei District Council Head Office.
46 High Street, Marton

Marton Community Hub and Library.
31 High Street, Marton

Te Matapihi – Bulls Community Hub.
4 Criterion Street, Bulls

Taihape Community Hub.
02 Hautapu Street, Taihape

Feedback closes 5pm Friday 27 November. To follow the transition, follow Central Districts Water on social media, visit centraldistrictswater.co.nz or subscribe for updates at centraldistrictswater.co.nz/News/Sign-up-for-email-updates.