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Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025

Structural arrangements for providing water services - Responsibility for providing water services - Water service providers

19: Obligation to continue water services

You could also call this:

"Water service providers must keep supplying water to their area as required by law."

Illustration for Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025

If you are a water service provider, you must keep providing water services in your area. You have to do this from when this Act starts and at any time after that. You must provide water services according to this Act and make sure you can meet your obligations.

You also have to make sure people have drinking water if you take over managing and operating a drinking water supply under section 72. You can enter into contracts or joint arrangements to provide water services under section 22 or 26, and you must follow section 20.

This rule does not stop you from entering into transfer agreements under section 12 or 15, or from closing down or transferring a small water service according to sections 73 to 75.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1004299.

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Government and voting > Local councilsEnvironment and resources > Food and water safety
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18: Financial principles for water service providers, or

"Rules for water service providers to manage their money fairly and wisely"

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20: General duty to retain ownership of infrastructure, etc, or

"Councils must keep control of water supply infrastructure to ensure people have access to water."

Part 2Structural arrangements for providing water services
Responsibility for providing water services: Water service providers

19Obligation to continue water services

  1. This section applies to a water service provider that provides water services in its service area—

  2. at the commencement of this Act; or
    1. at any time after the commencement of this Act.

      1. A water service provider must—

      2. continue to provide water services in accordance with this Act; and
        1. maintain its capacity to meet its obligations under this Act.

          1. However, in fulfilling those obligations, a water service provider—

          2. must also ensure the supply of drinking water if the provider permanently takes over the management and operations of a drinking water supply under section 72; and
            1. may enter into a contract or a joint water service provider arrangement relating to providing water services under section 22 or 26; and
              1. must comply with section 20.

                1. This section does not prevent a water service provider from—

                2. entering into a transfer agreement under section 12 or 15; or
                  1. closing down or transferring a small water service in accordance with sections 73 to 75.

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