NEWSLETTER September 2026
Kia ora koutou, and welcome to our September newsletter
September has brought strong progress and important forward planning for Waitī Waters as we move closer to our 1 July start date. Since the Statement of Expectations was released last month, our focus has shifted to the practical next steps that will shape how we deliver reliable, affordable water services for Carterton, Masterton, South Wairarapa and Tararua.
Water Services Strategy
One of those next steps is the Water Services Strategy, which is now in development. It will set out our 10-year delivery plan and explain how we will manage water services, including the investment, operational capacity and infrastructure needed to support our communities.
We expect to share the strategy early next year and will provide more information in the coming months about the process and how you can have your say. At the same time, you’ll also be able to provide feedback on our Customer Charter and payment policies, which set out what customers can expect from Waitī Waters.
Our people
Our senior leadership team is taking shape as we near the end of our recruitment process for our General Manager - Financial and Commercial. We expect to share more with you about this appointment in the coming weeks. We have also gone to market for four other executive leadership roles: General Manager - Infrastructure, General Manager - Service Delivery, General Manager - Customer, People and Safety, and General Manager - Strategy, Regulatory and Governance. These positions will each play an important role for Waitī Waters as we establish the systems, planning and capability needed to support affordable and resilient water services.
We are on track to make employment offers at the end of this month to Council water services staff who will transfer to Waitī Waters. Providing certainty for Council staff through this change and ensuring continuity of water services delivery for the community are critical priorities for the transition. Moving ahead with employment offers to staff is a major milestone that ensures both these objectives are met.
Message from the Chair
As we move closer to establishment, our focus is shifting from planning the transition to making sure Waitī Waters is ready to operate from day one. That means putting the right people, systems, agreements and ways of working in place so communities can continue to receive safe, reliable water services without disruption.
As we move closer to establishment, our focus is shifting from planning the transition to making sure Waitī Waters is ready to operate from day one. That means putting the right people, systems, agreements and ways of working in place so communities can continue to receive safe, reliable water services without disruption.
Last week I attended a meeting of water organisation Chairs which took place at the annual Water NZ conference. We had about 15 chairs of water entities from the far south to the far north of Aotearoa New Zealand meet in person for the first time. Amongst other matters, we discussed the complexities for water entity establishment when major local government reform was being promoted by the government. We also discussed how important it was for New Zealand that we deliberately seek opportunities to collaborate as a sector on matters as wide as procurement, billing, design excellence, and industry capability and training. The chairs have asked the CEOs Forum to identify specific areas for active collaboration.
Our Waitī Waters organisation strategy is now available on our website here. Our vision – For the water, for the environment, for you – thriving together | Mō te wai, mō te taiao, mōu - kia puāwai ngātahi – reflects the meaning of our name, Waitī, and the connection between healthy water, a healthy environment and thriving communities. Our service commitment is simple and essential: Delivering safe and sustainable water services our communities can count on.
You’ll see that the detail of our strategy is closely tied to the expectations set for us by Councils and iwi partners in the Statement of Expectations. It shows how we will deliver against each of the five major priorities that have been set for us and what we will achieve in the first two years, five years, and ten years of our operation. This will be the basis of our Water Services Strategy that will be released for public feedback early next year.
Thank you to the councils, staff and partners supporting this work, and to our communities for staying engaged as we build your new water company.
— Adrienne, Board Chair, Waitī Waters
Our People
Meet one of our Board Directors,
Maria Robertson
Maria Robertson brings more than two decades of leadership across public infrastructure, regulatory systems, organisational transformation and digital public services to the Waitī Waters Board. Her career has included senior roles in large, complex service-delivery environments, with a focus on operations, transformation and services that support people and communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.
She is currently Chair of Digital Identity New Zealand, Chair of the Hawke’s Bay Water Trust, and an independent member of the Audit and Risk Committees of the Ministry for the Environment and the Department of Corrections.
"What motivates me about Waitī Waters is the opportunity to help build something new that will matter to our communities for generations. We have a rare chance to shape an organisation from the outset around reliable services, long-term stewardship and the needs of the people and communities we serve. Getting those foundations right now, while also being ambitious about what Waitī Waters can become, is what makes the opportunity so compelling."
A focus on asset management
Asset management is about understanding our existing water infrastructure, its condition, and where investment is needed. For Waitī Waters, this planning will support practical, transparent decisions that reflect community needs and is a key priority we are building dedicated capability for in our executive team.
It will also help councils, staff, communities and regulators understand how priorities are being set and how essential infrastructure will be managed. Work is underway in the following areas:
Asset management maturity assessment and maturity improvement plan
Development of a Strategic Asset Management Plan and Asset Management Plan
Development of an Investment Delivery Plan
These plans will be shared during public consultation next year and will help explain where investment is needed, why it matters, and how Waitī Waters will plan and deliver work over time.
FAQ's
Is a CCO the first step to privatisation?
A. No. A CCO is not the first step towards privatisation. A Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO), while being a separate legal entity, is wholly owned by Councils and is still accountable to the Council or Councils that own them. For Waitī Waters, that is the four Councils across Masterton, Carterton, Tararua and South Wairarapa.
Under the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025, water organisations and assets are not permitted to be privatised. While Waitī Waters will run independently day-to-day, the expectations for Waitī Waters are set by the four Councils and iwi partners through a Statement of Expectations. Waitī Waters’ performance will be regularly reported back to the Stakeholders’ Forum to ensure it is visible to ratepayers and publicly reported to regulators.
Upcoming Board meetings and decisions
7 September – monthly Board meeting and joint session with the Stakeholders’ Forum (Pahiatua)
5 and 6 October – Board site visits (around the region, with a focus on sites with early years capital investment requirements)
15 October – monthly Board meeting (Dannevirke)
10 November – monthly Board meeting (Masterton)
In our September Board meeting, our focus will be the LGFA accession process, Water Services Strategy and consultation planning, stormwater management approach, customer implementation, and digital transition.
