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Commerce Act 1986

Regulated goods or services - Water services

57: Overview of subpart

You could also call this:

"Rules for water and wastewater companies"

Illustration for Commerce Act 1986

This part of the law is about rules for companies that supply water and wastewater services. You need to know that these companies might have to follow certain rules, like telling people information about their services or charging fair prices. The government can decide which rules to apply to which companies. The government follows a process to decide which rules to apply, which involves the Commission making a recommendation to the Minister under section 57G. The Minister then considers this recommendation under section 57J and might recommend that an Order in Council be made under section 57L to apply the rules to certain companies.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1505951.

Topics:
Money and consumer rights > Consumer protectionEnvironment and resources > Water and sanitationBusiness > Industry rules
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Part 4Regulated goods or services
Water services

57Overview of subpart

  1. This subpart provides that—

  2. the following types of regulation apply to certain local government suppliers of water supply services and wastewater services:
    1. information disclosure regulation:
      1. revenue threshold regulation:
      2. those types of regulation may also be imposed on the following in accordance with the process set out in subsection (2):
        1. 1 or more other suppliers of water supply services or wastewater services:
          1. 1 or more suppliers of stormwater services:
          2. the following types of regulation may be imposed on 1 or more suppliers of 1 or more water services in accordance with the process set out in subsection (2):
            1. quality regulation:
              1. performance requirement regulation:
                1. price-quality regulation.

                2. The process for imposing regulation on 1 or more suppliers in respect of 1 or more water services involves the following steps:

                  Order in Council imposing regulation

                3. the Commission may make a recommendation to the Minister under section 57G (but is not required to hold an inquiry under sections 52H to 52K):
                  1. the Minister considers the Commission’s recommendation under section 57J:
                    1. if the Minister decides to recommend regulation, an Order in Council may be made under section 57L that makes those suppliers subject to regulation and identifies the type or types of regulation that apply:

                        1. Determination

                      1. the Commission makes a section 52P determination specifying how the applicable type or types of regulation apply to a supplier.

                        1. This section is intended only as a guide to the general scheme and effect of this subpart.

                        Notes
                        • Section 57: inserted, on , by section 14 of the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 (2025 No 43).