Waitoa Water community panel
The way water is supplied to Waitoa needs to change.
For many years, Fonterra Cooperative Group has provided water to about 130 residential homes in the area. However, given the requirements of the Water Services Act 2021, Fonterra has decided to no longer continue in this role.
This means the Waitoa community must now consider alternatives for how water will be supplied in the future. There are two main options:
- Self-supply - where individual households or groups manage their own water systems
- Council supply - where Waitoa connects to the Council’s existing water network
But this isn’t just about pipes and systems – it’s about what matters to the people of Waitoa. They need safe and reliable drinking water – but they also need to know how much it will cost, who will manage the water, how much say locals will have, and whether different options are fair for different types of residents (homeowners, renters, large property owners, and others).
It’s a complex issue that’s been discussed in the community for some time, with a range of views and experiences to consider. This is an important decision that will affect Waitoa residents and property owners for years to come.
Council is supporting the community to ensure it is a robust decision that reflects the views of a broad range of community voices. To do this, we’re establishing a community panel.
What is the Waitoa Water Community Panel?
A Community Panel gives affected Waitoa residents and property owners the opportunity, time and space to learn about the options, before providing detailed recommendations for our local politicians to consider and respond to.
With help from an independent facilitator, they will take a deeper look at the issues over a series of workshops, weigh up the opportunities and challenges of each water supply option and make recommendations for decision-making on behalf of the Waitoa community.
The series of workshops take place over October and November 2025 and you can follow along.
Dipping our toes in: meet and greet
This was an opportunity for the panel members to meet one another and hear from Council and Fonterra. Listen to the speakers:
Frequently Asked Questions
Why use a community panel?
We believe the affected residents and property owners are in the best position to decide what will work for them in the future. Because this is a decision that will apply to every affected property (i.e. there is no opting out for identified properties in the Village), we do not want to rely on a method that could result in a small 51% majority. We want a much stronger mandate than that.
Who will be on the panel?
What will council do with the panel's recommendations?
Who chooses who is on the panel?
What is the timetable for the panel?
How will the current water reforms affect this?
What won’t change
