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Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025

Structural arrangements for providing water services - Responsibility for providing water services - Decisions about structural arrangements

30: Identification and assessment of options

You could also call this:

"Looking at different choices for changing water services"

Illustration for Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025

When a territorial authority wants to make a change to its water services, it must look at different options. You will see the authority considering its current approach, the proposed change, and at least one other possible option if it is reasonable.

The authority must then talk to people about its preferred option. This preferred option is treated like a change proposal, which is covered in sections 31 to 33.

If any of these options affect land or water, the authority must think about how they relate to Māori culture and traditions, including their ancestral land, special sites, and important plants and animals.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1004319.

Topics:
Government and voting > Local councilsEnvironment and resources > Food and water safetyMāori affairs > Treaty of Waitangi
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29: Interaction of sections 30 to 33 with other legislation, or

"How sections 30 to 33 work with other laws when making water services plans"

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31: Consultation required, or

"Councils must talk to people before making big changes that affect them"

Part 2Structural arrangements for providing water services
Responsibility for providing water services: Decisions about structural arrangements

30Identification and assessment of options

  1. The territorial authority must identify and assess a range of options for ways of achieving the objective of a change proposal, including—

  2. continuing the existing approach to providing water services in its district; and
    1. the change proposal; and
      1. at least 1 further reasonably practicable option, if available.

        1. After identifying and assessing options under subsection (1),—

        2. the territorial authority must undertake consultation on its preferred option; and
          1. that preferred option must be treated as a change proposal for the purposes of sections 31 to 33.

            1. If any of the options identified under subsection (1) involve a significant decision in relation to land or a body of water, the authority must take into account the relationship of Māori and their culture and traditions with their ancestral land, water, sites, wāhi tapu, valued flora and fauna, and other taonga.

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