Water Services Delivery Plan

The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has approved Manawatū District Council’s Water Services Delivery Plan, confirming the Council’s approach to delivering drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services is compliant, financially sustainable and aligned with the Government’s Local Water Done Well framework.

Manawatū District Council’s Water Services Delivery Plan was formally accepted by the Secretary for Local Government on 12 November 2025. The decision follows extensive planning, financial analysis and community engagement carried out over the past two years.

• Media Release: Standalone Water Model Gets DIA Approval | Manawatū District Council
• Previous Engagement: Local Water Done Well | Make your mark Manawatū

The Plan confirms Council’s decision to continue delivering water services through a standalone, in-house model. This model keeps responsibility for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services within the Manawatū District, while meeting new regulatory and financial sustainability requirements under the Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Act 2024.

The Water Services Delivery Plan sets out:

• How Council will continue to provide safe, reliable drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services.
• The investment required to maintain and renew critical water infrastructure over the next decade.
• How Council will ensure water services remain financially sustainable, including the way costs are funded and managed.
• The performance, risk and compliance settings Council will use to meet national standards.

DIA’s acceptance of the Plan is one of the key milestones in the Government’s Local Water Done Well programme, which requires every council in New Zealand to submit a Water Services Delivery Plan demonstrating how it will meet regulatory and financial sustainability tests.

What this means for Manawatū residents

For residents and ratepayers, DIA approval means:

• Certainty that water services will continue to be delivered locally by Manawatū District Council.
• Confidence that the Council’s approach meets central government expectations for safe, reliable and well-managed water services.
• Transparency about the level of investment needed in water infrastructure and how this will be funded over time.

Council will continue to report regularly on progress against the Plan through its Long Term Plan, annual plans and annual reports.