Media releases

Beyond ageing pipes. Meeting the freshwater needs of the 21st century

Whose water and at what price?

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Morgan Williams, releasing his report, Beyond ageing pipes. Urban water systems for the 21st century, highlighted that fresh, pure water is not an unlimited commodity in New Zealand today. Some areas are facing critical water shortages and are looking for alternative services of supply. "These communities will need to find innovative solutions to increase efficiency of water use and create opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle" says Dr Williams. Local authorities must develop long term strategic water services plans integrating the management of water supply, wastewater disposal and stormwater.

Despite the lack of a strategic focus on water systems from central government groups, some local government groups are taking innovative steps. The Wellington water services integration proposal, Auckland's water services review and Taranaki's plans for a single water entity are all examples. Dr Williams commends these initiatives while noting that central government needs to support them by providing policy leadership and legislative reform to enable a sustainable development approach to water systems management. "Our urban water systems must meet the needs of families, communities, and businesses while sustaining the health of the ecosystems that water is taken from and returned to" says Dr Williams.

Along with water supply limitations, many local authorities also face major upgrades of ageing infrastructures. The question of how to best fund this work has generated considerable public debate and anxiety about ownership, valuing and pricing, equity issues and business models for water delivery and treatment. The Commissioner comments "There is little hope of substantive progress on most aspects of water management until there is consensus as to how the desired public ownership of water assets can be guaranteed and community views about managing water in an efficient and effective manner are understood and accommodated in fair water charging." The introduction of metering and flow-based charging, to provide economic incentives for consumers to become more efficient users, is a sensitive political and community issue. The debate can only be advanced if there are assurances of public ownership, guaranteed minimum supply to all households to provide for basic public health needs and targeted assistance to those consumers most in need.

The Commissioner made several recommendations to Government aimed at stimulating a proactive approach to critical national urban water management issues.

ENDS

For more information contact:
Dr Morgan Williams,
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
Telephone (04) 471 1669

Click here to see the report summary