Due to central government changes, Fonterra have decided they cannot continue to be the water supplier for the village of Waitoa. Taumata Arowai (the new water regulator) requires Council to help come up with a solution, so we have been working alongside Fonterra and the residents of Waitoa for the last few years to investigate potential options for around 120-150 residential properties in this settlement.

At a high level, we have worked on options for Council to provide a water supply and the financial impacts. Starting in 2025, the residents of Waitoa will be consulted on whether they wish to be connected to a Council supply or not. If the community does decide to connect to a Council supply, the town is likely to be connected to the Te Aroha Water Supply via a trunk main that supplies a nearby industry. There would be no need for any additional treatment facilities, and Council already provides water to a number of similar small rural settlements.

Because we are unsure at this stage whether or not Council will need to invest in this water supply, we have not included any funding in the budget for the Waitoa water supply. However, funding has been put aside for the consultation process which is due to begin in 2025.