The Government wants to take control of water out of the hands of councils and create publically owned water authorities. The Government should fund water infrastructure the same way it funds roading, instead of going ahead with widespread reforms, Gore District Council chief executive Steve Parry says. The Government wants to take control of water out of the hands of councils and into a small handful of combined publicly-owned cross-regional water authorities. It is possible that one of the authorities will provide water across Otago and Southland, so the Invercargill City Council, Environment Southland, Gore District Council and Southland District Council have been part of a 10 council, $375,000 study looking at whether collaboration on Three Waters (drinking, waste and stormwater) services would be of benefit. Rachael Kelly/Stuff Gore District Council chief executive Steve Parry.

Source: Stuff March 12, 2021 03:51 UTC