A considerable amount of water has yet to flow under the bridge before the long-anticipated reform of the country’s ailing water services reaches fruition. It is well known many cash-strapped local councils have struggled to properly fund their water services and there are still too many places where residents cannot drink the tap water, where sewers fail, and effluent causes environmental damage. It has been fascinating to see Auckland Mayor Phil Goff talking up the virtues of water company Watercare, when its poor planning for water shortages is still fresh in our minds. There has been some criticism that the water reforms are leaping ahead of the review of local government, with a final report on the latter not due until April 2023. Maybe that timing will be advantageous in the long run, giving local government more time to reflect on where its emphases should be once councils are freed from water service provision.

Source: Otago Daily Times July 07, 2021 14:26 UTC