Have your say on how Central Districts Water engages with communities
Published on 03 November 2026
Central Districts Water is encouraging people in Horowhenua, Palmerston North and Rangitīkei to provide feedback on its proposed Significance and Engagement Policy.
The policy is required under the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025 and will guide how the new water organisation engages with customers, communities, iwi and other stakeholders when making decisions about drinking water, wastewater and stormwater. Feedback is open until Friday 27 November.
From 1 July 2027, Central Districts Water will become responsible for delivering your drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services, which are currently managed by Palmerston North City Council, Horowhenua and Rangitīkei District Councils. Until that date, councils will continue providing those services.
Central Districts Water Chief Executive Chris Dyhrberg says the draft policy is an early opportunity to establish how our new organisation will engage and listen to the communities we serve.
“Good engagement helps us make better decisions. Our communities have local knowledge and ideas that can help shape how we plan and deliver water services and projects. This policy sets out when and how we’ll involve our community in important decisions, so they know when they can have a say and how their feedback will be considered.”
The draft policy explains how we will determine whether a decision is significant, when it will seek community input and what different forms of engagement could look like. It also shares how we will engage with our shareholder councils and Nga Tapūwae o Hau, an alliance of iwi and hapu from the districts of the shareholder councils.
People are invited to share what they like, what should change, and how they would prefer to receive updates or participate in future engagement.
“This is not a consultation on water bills or individual projects just yet. Those conversations are coming up. In March next year, we plan to ask for feedback on our first Water Services Strategy, including investment priorities and pricing for water services,” Dyhrberg says.
People can read the proposed policy and complete the online feedback form at centraldistrictswater.co.nz or see it and complete a hardcopy form at the following locations:
Palmerston North
- Palmerston North City Council Customer Service Centre: 32 The Square
- Central Library: 4 The Square
- Ashhurst Library: Corner Cambridge and Bamfield Streets, Ashhurst
- Awapuni Library: Corner College Street and Pitama Road
- Roslyn Community Library: 8 Kipling Street
- Te Pātikitiki Library: 157 Highbury Avenue
Horowhenua
- Horowhenua District Council office: 126–148 Oxford Street, Levin
- Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō: 10 Bath Street, Levin
- Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom: 92 Main Street, Foxton
- Shannon Library: Plimmer Terrace, Shannon
Rangitīkei (from 5 November)
- Rangitīkei District Council Head Office: 46 High Street, Marton
- Marton Community Hub and Library: 31 High Street, Marton
- Te Matapihi – Bulls Community Hub: 4 Criterion Street, Bulls
- Taihape Community Hub: 102 Hautapu Street, Taihape
Feedback closes at 5pm on Friday 27 November.
To follow the transition, follow Central Districts Water on social media, visit centraldistrictswater.co.nz or sign up for email updates