Mayors and council bosses across Southland and Otago are collectively calling for a pause on Three Waters reform. 

They've written to the Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta to formally request more time to allow councils to engage with their communities. 

Clutha mayor Bryan Cadogan is chair of the 'Zone 6' group - which spans Southland, Gore, Queenstown, Central Otago, Waitaki and Clutha district councils, Invercargill and Dunedin city councils, and Otago and Southland's regional councils. 

"This is the biggest decision of our lifetimes, and we need more time to consult with our communities," Cadogan says. 

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"As councils, we consult over the changing of a lightbulb. 

"The mayors and council chairs have been meeting over zoom in recent weeks and it was unanimous that we write to the Minister. " 

Billions of dollars of funding is needed for essential upgrades to drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services across New Zealand, to meet new health and environmental standards.

They are owned and operated by 67 different councils. 

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Government is proposing the management of all councils' water services be transferred to four publicly-owned entities, beginning 1 July, 2024, but the ownership of the infrastructure would remain in councils' hands.  

They would be run by independently appointed boards. One board would cover the whole South Island, made up of two stakeholder groups. 

One stakeholder is 27 councils representing 1.5 million people; the other is Ngai Tahu as mana whenua. Both stakeholders would have equal rights overseeing new 3Waters services.

Councils have until December to make a decision to opt in or opt out, with Government planning a $2.5 billion support package for the changes. Councils are supposed to analyse and give feedback on the proposals by October 1.

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But Zone 6 civic leaders have now formally indicated to the Minister that this is not enough time, especially as they are knee-deep in resource management reform and a review into the future for local government. 

"The Mayors and Chairs of Zone 6 ask that the Government pause the reform process to allow communities sufficient time to better understand the significant amount of complex information on which the Government has based its case for change and to allow councils to engage with our communities about it," Cadogan says. 

"We also seek the Government to significantly up its game in providing information to the public on why it believes the reforms need to happen and what the effects of the reforms on councils and communities will be. 

"Without this pause, there is a very real risk that communities will not be able to make informed decisions about the merits of the proposed reform.

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"Rushing the engagement process will simply not provide for good decision-making, and the decisions made as a result could see adverse and costly consequences for communities, councils and the Government for many years to come."

In a written response, Mahuta said: "Small rural councils like those on the West Coast stand to benefit the most from these reforms and it’s been disappointing to see mayors who have been asked to engage in the process playing political games with their communities’ futures."

She added: "We have asked for feedback during August and September that will inform the next set of decisions for Cabinet. There are some councils who do not want anything to change and I accept the scale of change is daunting but not the intent. These water reforms are intended to benefit all councils, every community, and all New Zealanders."

Three West Coast councils are also calling for a pause. The Westland and Grey district mayors and the West Coast Regional Council chairman have also written to Mahuta asking her to put the reform process on hold. Buller Mayor Jamie Cleine declined to join them.

Mahuta has linked years of underinvestment in 3Waters infrastructure by the country’s 67 councils with outbreaks of deadly bacteria in drinking water; lead contamination; regular boil-water notifications; and poorly treated wastewater running into freshwater streams and lakes.

Cadogan says councils have to focus on priority spending, without increasing council rates and charges beyond what people can afford to pay.