Double Standard
OPINION: The proverbial has really hit the fan in Wellington and exposed a glaring example of a double standard in environmental accountability.
The Commission says these rules introduce consistent public reporting, meaning consumers can see more clearly how their local water service provider is performing and understand how money is being spent.
Charlotte Reed, head of water regulation, says that water and wastewater networks are critical infrastructure, adding that providers have a responsibility to manage them in ways that protect today’s users and future generations.
“Economic regulation gives us tools to provide independent scrutiny of providers’ performance,” Reed says.
The new disclosure rules are applicable from 27 February 2026.
The new rules mean service providers will need to disclose information including how much they charge; how much money they receive and spend on water supply and wastewater services; and how they are planning to look after the infrastructure.
The rules will be phased in and regulated water services will need to start reporting key information promptly and have systems and processes in place to collect core data from June 2026.
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The Commission will then analyse the information regulated suppliers publish and turn it into clear, accessible insights so communities and consumers can see trends over time and compare performance across different providers.
“By shining a light on what’s working well and where improvements are needed, communities will be able to have informed conversations about their water services and providers can focus on delivering the outcomes they want,” Reed says.
“Aging assets, weather‑related pressures, and funding constraints mean communities need clear, comparable information about service quality, costs, and investment,” she adds.
“Information disclosure will become a core tool that enables the Commission—and the public—to identify inefficiencies, highlight good performance, and target areas for improvement.”
The new economic regulatory rules for water providers are established alongside and in addition to the Commission’s current consideration of additional information disclosure requirements for Taiki Wai, which may apply from 1 July 2026.
