The Water Services Bill and the Waitakere Ranges Water Catchment

The Team from Deborah Russell, MP for New Lynn

There's been a bit of noise locally about the Water Services Bill with some people suggesting it would mean that water catchments in the Waitakere Ranges would be transferred to the new Auckland/Northland water entity.
This is NOT the case. But I checked it with the Minister during the debate today. I asked: "Following on from the question about stormwater, I have a similar one related to concern from my own area, the New Lynn electorate, which includes the entire Waitakere Ranges. A number of people in the Waitakere Ranges have expressed concern that the land there might transfer to the new water services entities and pass out of local control because it has significant water catchment dams there. They're very beautiful, very important to Auckland, near 100 percent full, but the real worry is the surrounding water catchment. So I'm asking if the Minister could please give some assurance that the land, the park—the beautiful Waitakere Ranges Park—will remain in local control under the new water services entities."
The Minister replied saying: "I want to come to the particular question of the member in relation to parks and reserves because I think the question is broader and it is one that warrants a response. The criteria for transferring stormwater infrastructure is based on whether it is predominantly used to manage stormwater, as I've said many times in this House, and whether it's critical to the stormwater system. In general, parks' predominant use is not for stormwater. Their predominant use is as a park, a public recreation place where people love to go, and therefore they will not transfer to the new entities. That's something that needs to be said very clearly. Territorial authorities will be heavily involved, as I've said previously, in identifying which infrastructure will transfer to entities. I must stress this point because it is by consent of the councils, not over and above them, because everybody preserves their quality of life through having good recreational places to take their children and the like. A park would never, therefore, be transferred out of territorial authority management if it was not the wish of the territorial authority. So, I really wanted to highlight that."