District-wide targeted rates for water and wastewater

This consultation has now closed. Submissions were open for 4 weeks from Monday 16 January 2023.

This proposal will not affect ratepayers who are not connected to (or not able to connect to) any council wastewater or water scheme.

This consultation is about addressing the challenge to fund reticulated (piped) water supply and wastewater treatment in the Far North.

The cost of these services is high, regardless of where you live in New Zealand. The Far North faces challenges of geography and small, dispersed settlements combined with a low ratepayer base. Since 2020, when we consulted on the Long Term Plan, costs for maintaining water services have increased steeply. This is because aging infrastructure requires renewal and upgrade, compliance requirements are increasing, and supply chain issues push costs up.

It is really tough to fund these services in an affordable and equitable manner. Something must change to ensure council can deliver the levels of service it is committed to.

That is why we are proposing to remove the current scheme-based targeted rates for water and wastewater and replace them with a district-wide targeted rate for water supply and a district-wide targeted rate for wastewater treatment. This will impact ratepayers connected to (or able to connect to) the 15 wastewater schemes and those properties receiving piped water from our nine water treatment plants. Some ratepayers will experience a net increase in their rates. Others will experience a decrease.

Make a submission using the online form below. Alternatively, email your submission to submissions@fndc.govt.nz or deliver a written submission to any Far North Service Centre. If you prefer to make an oral submission, you can email submissions@fndc.govt.nz or phone 0800 920 029 and ask to speak to a member of the Corporate Planning or Engagement Team.