UPDATED POST
● Dunedin’s water, wastewater and storm water network
DCC Three Waters Strategy
Management of Water, Wastewater and Stormwater (The 3 Waters)
Our main objective is to protect public health and safety by delivering enough safe drinking water to, and safely removing waste and storm water from, everyone connected to the network, with minimal impact on the environment and at an acceptable financial cost. We also aim to provide protection from flooding and erosion as well as controlling and reducing pollution in stormwater discharges to waterways and the sea. As well as delivering services today, we need to plan for the future, making sure we will be able to deliver the service that future generations will need.
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/council-projects/3waters
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Dunedin City Council
Media Release
Working Party to Recommend Dunedin’s 3 Waters Remain In-House
This item was published on 24 Aug 2012.
The DCC’s 3 Waters Working Party has prepared a report for the Finance Strategy and Development Committee on 5 September, recommending that a Council-controlled organisation (CCO) should not be formed, but instead an enhanced status quo option should be developed.
With information gathered from numerous background reports, including the extensive assessment of the proposal from DELTA Utilities Ltd, commissioned from Morrison Low and Associates, the 3 Waters CCO Working Party has formulated a view on the preferred future structure for the delivery of 3 Waters services (waste [sic]* supply, wastewater and storm water).
The reasons supporting the recommendation that a CCO not be formed are:
● The DCC would be less able to directly manage and control a CCO to achieve its aims, particularly where those aims relate to a whole-of-DCC approach to achieve benefits for the wider city.
● The retention of full governance responsibilities with the Council means it can more directly make decisions about the present and future direction of the Water and Waste department.
● The DCC’s asset management capability is well-respected in New Zealand’s water industry and development of its capability has been underway for some time as part of existing business improvement processes. Retaining this sophisticated asset management capability in-house allows the DCC to have confidence in its ability to understand its assets and to plan for the future delivery of these services.
● Externally appointed directors bring additional skills but there are other ways such input can be provided for without requiring a change in governance structure.
The three subsequent recommendations in the report are to:
● Retain asset management in-house
● Review the service delivery options for operations and maintenance (This is in line with the review of other DCC services to ensure the best value for money.)
● Investigate the creation of an advisory board
The DCC’s Water and Waste Services staff, who are directly affected by this report have been informed today of its contents. They now await the decision that will be made when the report is presented to the Finance, Strategy and Development Committee on Wednesday 5 September.
The report and associated documents will be available shortly before the Committee meeting.
Contact General Manager City Operations on 477 4000.
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* What if? suggests the paragraph should read: “…the 3 Waters CCO Working Party has formulated a view on the preferred future structure for the delivery of 3 Waters services (water supply, wastewater and storm water).” -Eds
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16.8.12 Dunedin water assets
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
What if? Dunedin... 