5 October 2026Updated 2 October 20261 min read
Waikato Waters is inviting communities across its six shareholder council districts to have their say on its proposed Significance and Engagement Policy.
The policy will guide how Waikato Waters engages with customers, communities, iwi, hapū, other Māori organisations and stakeholders when putting forward proposals or making decisions about water and wastewater services.
Waikato Waters interim chief executive Neil Brennan says the policy is an important part of ensuring decision-making is transparent, consistent and reflects community expectations.
"Good engagement helps us make better decisions. Communities often have valuable local knowledge and perspectives that can inform the way we plan and deliver water services.
"This policy sets out how we will determine whether a proposal or decision is significant, and how that assessment will influence the level of engagement we undertake."
Under the proposed framework, proposals and decisions would generally be assessed as having low, medium or high significance.
Low significance proposals and decisions may involve keeping people informed.
Medium significance proposals and decisions may include opportunities for people to provide feedback before a decision is made.
High significance proposals and decisions are likely to involve formal public consultation.
The policy has been developed in accordance with the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025.
Waikato Waters is seeking feedback on a range of aspects of the proposed policy, including whether it is easy to understand, whether the significance criteria are appropriate, and whether it provides sufficient certainty about when engagement and consultation will occur.
"We encourage anyone with an interest in how Waikato Waters engages with communities to take a look at the proposed policy and share their views," says Brennan.
