Water Services Act 2021

Standards, enforcement, and other matters - Offences - Offences relating to duties associated with administration of Act

189: Offence involving hindering or obstructing Water Services Authority

You could also call this:

"Hindering Water Services Authority staff is an offence"

Illustration for Water Services Act 2021

You can commit an offence if you intentionally hinder or obstruct an employee or agent of the Water Services Authority who is doing their job under this Act. If you do this, you can be fined up to $10,000 as an individual. If you are a drinking water supplier, the fine can be up to $75,000 for an individual or $250,000 for a company.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS374928.

This page was last updated on 24 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Environment and resources > Water managementCrime and justice > Police and safetyCrime and justice > Criminal law

188: Offence involving failure to advise consumers about, provide, and report on complaint process, or

"Breaking the rules about telling consumers how to complain about their drinking water"

190: Offence involving threatening or assaulting employee or agent of Water Services Authority, or

"Threatening or hurting water service workers is against the law"

Part 3Standards, enforcement, and other matters
Offences: Offences relating to duties associated with administration of Act

189Offence involving hindering or obstructing Water Services Authority

A person commits an offence against this section if the person intentionally hinders or obstructs an employee or agent of the Water Services Authority who is performing a function or duty, or exercising a power, under this Act.
A person who commits an offence against subsection (1) is liable on conviction,—
for an individual, to a fine not exceeding $10,000:
for an individual who is a drinking water supplier, to a fine not exceeding $75,000:
for a body corporate or an unincorporated body that is a drinking water supplier, to a fine not exceeding $250,000.

Compare

2014 No 32 s 235

Notes

Section 189 heading: amended, on 27 August 2025, by section 111(2) of the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 (2025 No 43).
Section 189(1): amended, on 27 August 2025, by section 111(2) of the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 (2025 No 43).