Auckland Council’s stormwater services have been officially approved by central government and recognised for meeting quality, effective management, and sustainability requirements.
The council’s Stormwater Services Delivery Plan sets out how these services will be delivered over the next ten years. It confirms Auckland Council’s specialist teams will continue to provide resilient stormwater services for Tāmaki Makaurau.
Auckland Mayor, Wayne Brown, says the council’s decision to continue to manage stormwater makes sense.
“Managing our stormwater systems is crucial to ensuring Auckland’s water network is resilient, delivers value for money and is aligned with the council’s response to central government’s Local Water Done Well framework,” says Mayor Brown.
“We’ve got an extensive stormwater network that crosses some 80,000 kms including 7000 kms of pipes, 180,000 manholes, around 700 stormwater ponds and 14,000 kms of natural waterways. It’s important the council oversees this key infrastructure.
“Given the unpredictability of significant weather events, it makes sense for the council’s Healthy Waters and Flood Resilience team to manage how to maximise and deliver stormwater infrastructure that’s reliable, can adapt to climate change, support growth and protect our waterways.”
Since Mayor Brown’s 2023 Mayoral Proposal, significant progress has been made with water reforms to deliver services sustainably and give Watercare financial independence from the council to allow it to make the much-needed investment and infrastructure improvements across the drinking water and wastewater network. The balance sheet separation also enables the council to fund depreciation and prepare for growth.
Keeping stormwater projects in full flow
The plan’s approval provides assurance and continuity for key flood resilience projects and stormwater management across the region.
Under the Local Water Done Well reforms, councils across the country must consider how to deliver water services and submit a plan to central government.
Auckland Council’s Governing Body decided last year that the council’s Healthy Waters and Flood Resilience team would keep managing Auckland’s stormwater services.
Water services in Auckland
The council’s Healthy Waters and Flood Resilience team is responsible for planning, managing and delivering services across the region. The team ensures Tāmaki Makaurau and its communities have reliable and resilient stormwater services that can adapt to climate change, support urban development and housing growth, and that stormwater impacts are managed to protect waterways and harbours.
They also improve stormwater resilience through major projects such as creating blue-green networks, as well as planning, building and maintaining stormwater pipes, ponds, culverts, watercourses and overland flow paths.
Auckland’s drinking water and wastewater services are delivered by Watercare – a council-controlled organisation. Watercare is responsible for:
- supplying safe drinking water
- managing wastewater collection and treatment
- planning and delivering major water infrastructure for the above
- setting and collecting water charges.
Learn more about Auckland Council’s Stormwater Services Delivery Plan on the Auckland Council website.
