August 4, 2026Whakatāne, RotoruaHundreds of millions of dollars could be saved over the next 30 years by creating a joint water services organisation for the Eastern Bay and Rotorua, according to a consultant’s report. These include 24 percent of drinking water assets, 41 percent of wastewater assets and 30 percent of stormwater assets. Whakatāne district has a “significant renewals backlog”, with about $96 million in renewals required, not addressed in its Water Services Delivery Plan. Rotorua Lakes distict, which has assets greater than the three Eastern Bay councils combined, is in the best position to manage its own water services. The investigation was born out of the Government’s Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Act 2024, in which councils had to submit Water Services Delivery Plans to the Secretary for Local Government for approval.