Delivery of three waters services continues, despite broken promises

The promise of a substantial fund earmarked to assist with future projects around the Hurunui District has been withdrawn by government.

It was belatedly announced this week that the previously promised second tranche of $1.5 billion in ‘Better Off Funding’ to councils around New Zealand will not eventuate. Hurunui District accepted $2.67m in the first tranche of funding in November 2022, and was promised a further $8.01m in the second tranche in July 2024.

Council’s Chief Executive Officer Hamish Dobbie said this U-turn is yet another example of the government’s broken promises on its Three Waters Reform programme. When the Three Waters Reform was first proposed in 2020, councils were informed that communities would have the option to accept or reject the proposed reform. This option was subsequently withdrawn by the government, however at this time Councils were promised that the ‘Better Off Funding’ would be made available.

“The government reneging on its promised ‘Better Off Funding’ doubles down on it unilaterally retracting its earlier promise that the Three Waters Reform would be optional for communities,” said Dobbie.

However, the government’s change of direction was not a total surprise, and Dobbie said he was relieved Council accepted the earlier tranche of funding, which was now being applied to assist in affordable housing, building restoration and climate resilience across the district.

“We were due Tranche 2 of the Better Off Funding, another $8.01m, in July 2024, but we’d always had our doubts about ever actually seeing this.”

Dobbie stressed that the Council remains committed to delivering high quality three water services to Hurunui communities until the government’s new 2026 deadline for the proposed Reform, a two-year shift from the original 2024 deadline.

“The last three years has been a rollercoaster for our three waters staff, and the continued tinkering with the Reform has been difficult for them. Delivering affordable, safe and reliable drinking water, storm water and wastewater services across the District is still what we are striving to achieve, regardless of the political agenda of the government of the day.”