Published 18/07/2019
Water Committee endorses new shareholder for Wellington Water
The Wellington Water Committee has agreed to recommend to existing shareholders that South Wairarapa District Council become the sixth shareholder in the council-owned water services management company Wellington Water.
Wellington Water is jointly owned by the Greater Wellington Regional Council and the Lower Hutt, Porirua, Upper Hutt and Wellington city councils. The Water Committee comprises a representative from each shareholder council, and is chaired by Lower Hutt Deputy Mayor David Bassett.
Each council will now vote on the recommendation at meetings in July and August. If all vote in favour, Wellington Water would begin providing water management services for the South Wairarapa District Council shortly thereafter. Wellington Water staff have already been involved in helping the council resolve drinking water contamination and quality incidents affecting Martinborough.
Also at its recent meeting, the committee agreed to recommend to shareholder councils that both Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, and Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika be appointed as mana whenua partner entities, giving effect to a constitutional change to allow for Māori representation in the governance of Wellington Water.
As with the membership of South Wairarapa District Council, this proposal will next be voted on by each shareholder council.