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Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025

Provision of water services: operational matters - Charges for water services

92: Water organisation and territorial authority must not both charge for water service

You could also call this:

"You only pay one group for your water service, not both the water organisation and the council."

Illustration for Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025

If you get a water service from a water organisation, they might charge you for it under section 86. In this case, the territorial authority cannot charge you for the same service. They also cannot collect a rate for the same service. You will only be charged by one of them for the water service you use. If the territorial authority already charges a rate for the water service, the water organisation cannot charge you for the same service.

If there is a rule in section 93 that says something different, that rule will apply instead. When we talk about a rate, we mean what is explained in section 5 of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002. This means you will know what to expect when you get your water bill.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1004376.

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Environment and resources > Food and water safetyGovernment and voting > Local councils
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91: Water organisation must publish list of charges, or

"Water companies must show their prices online so you can see what they charge."

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93: Charges when responsibility for setting water services charges transferred during rating year, or

"What happens to water charges when a different group takes over during the year?"

Part 3Provision of water services: operational matters
Charges for water services

92Water organisation and territorial authority must not both charge for water service

  1. If a water organisation sets a charge under section 86 for providing a water service to a property, a territorial authority must not, in relation to the property,—

  2. set a charge for providing the same service; or
    1. collect a rate for providing the same service.

      1. If a territorial authority sets a rate for providing a water service to a property, a water organisation must not, in relation to the property, set a charge for providing the same service.

      2. This section is subject to section 93.

      3. In this section, rate has the meaning set out in section 5 of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.