Nelson City Council is now able to apply for up to $5.18 million to invest in the local community as part of the Government's Three Waters Reform Package.

We will now be assessing projects that meet both the Government's criteria and the Council's own priorities. These include projects that respond to housing, climate change, placemaking and community well-being. The next step will be for officers to bring a list of potential projects to Council.

Officers will also be considering applying to the Government’s separate $500 million fund that ensures no local authority is in a worse position financially to provide services to its community. Any application will be in recognition of the time spent by Council staff on the requirements of reform, while still continuing business as usual.

Applying for these funding opportunities does not impact on our role as an organisation to continue to advocate strongly for our community to ensure that the new water service entities serve Nelson's people and in no way binds Council to support the Three Waters Reform.

Deputy Mayor Judene Edgar said Council wants to see strong local influence maintained and a simplified governance structure that will allow that to happen.

“Later this year we are expecting the publication of the Government's Three Waters Service Entities Bill. We will be asking our community to contribute to our submission on this Bill to ensure we are reflecting Nelson's views back to Wellington. Of course, businesses, organisations and individuals will also be able to make their own submissions if they choose.”

Read the Central Government Media Release here.