Staff from the council may need to be used to help prepare for the entities starting operations in 2024 as part of the Government’s Three Waters reform programme.
The council has indicated some concern about its ability to maintain sufficient staffing in the interim if arrangements are too inflexible.
Councillors are due to discuss today a draft submission on the Government’s Water Services Entities Bill, which would establish the entities.
It is intended the large entities would take over functions from councils and there would be a transition period.
"It is critical that territorial authorities can operate successfully during the transitional period so there are no detrimental impacts on ratepayers," the draft submission stated.
"The transitional provisions are not based on a spirit of trust and move away from democratically elected decision-making."
The council worried the Government’s approach might be overly prescriptive, and suggested a higher-trust mentality with more flexibility.
"The money currently being spent establishing the new entities and setting up transitional arrangements would be better spent on funding pipes in the ground."
The city council looks set to propose an Otago-Southland water entity as an alternative idea to the Government’s plan to have an entity covering much of the South Island.
Potential for a lack of local representation, or minimal representation, in establishing strategic direction is a particular concern.
One of the big selling points for the Government’s favoured model has been the benefits of economies of scale.
That could help pay for significant investment needed to upgrade infrastructure in an efficient manner.
A council staff report said the Otago-Southland model’s projected household costs were not significantly more expensive than for what the Government wanted to do.
Consultancy Morrison Low’s financial modelling suggested the Otago-Southland idea was a viable alternative, the council said in its draft submission.
