IAWAI is your new water organisation, publicly owned by Hamilton City Council and Waikato District Council and working in partnership with Waikato-Tainui.
From 1 July 2026, we’ll be responsible for delivering drinking water and wastewater services for Hamilton and Waikato communities. Stormwater services will remain council owned, but we are contracted to deliver them.
By working together, we combine resources and know-how to run more efficiently and meet our communities’ growing needs.
What is our Water Services Strategy?
It’s IAWAI's 10-year-plan (2026-2036) outlining our priorities for the next decade. It sets out how we will deal with huge growth, look after our existing assets, meet new rules and regulations, and provide the critical water and wastewater services the residents and businesses of our communities need.
“This strategy begins and ends with the health and vitality of the Waikato River, the moana (ocean) and the communities these sustain.”
What are we proposing in our Water Services Strategy?
There is no single fix for the challenges we face. Growth pressures, ageing infrastructure, environmental compliance and cost pressures are deeply connected, and our response must be realistic, fair and financially sustainable.
By bringing water services together under one organisation, IAWAI has been able to plan across the sub-region, invest more efficiently and meet the demands of growth.
Our strategy includes:
- A reduction to the water charge increases previously forecast by both councils. Down $91 for Hamilton households and $247 for Waikato.
- Introducing water and wastewater growth charges on new builds so growth is paid for by those creating the additional demand - not existing households.
- A $3 billion capital programme over 10 years to renew, upgrade and expand the network our communities depend on.
- Using debt sensibly to smooth price increases and to ensure infrastructure is paid for by the generations who will benefit from it.
We’re also consulting on
Significance and Engagement Policy
This policy sets out how IAWAI determines the significance of decisions and issues, and outlines when and how the community will be engaged before decisions are made.
View the policy here
Waiver Policy
This policy sets out the circumstances in which IAWAI may waive fees, requirements, or conditions, and the criteria used to consider and approve waiver requests. Nothing changes for ratepayers under the proposed policy — the same waivers will still apply.
View the policy here
Frequently asked questions
What is IAWAI and why was it created?
IAWAI is a publicly owned water services company formed by Hamilton City Council and Waikato District Council to plan, build, manage, and maintain drinking water, wastewater, and (by contract) stormwater services across Hamilton city and Waikato District. It becomes fully operational on 1 July 2026, taking ownership of water and wastewater assets and related debt so it can invest at scale, deliver services more efficiently, and keep costs as low as practicable over time.
What’s guiding IAWAI’s decisions – especially around the Waikato River?
IAWAI gives effect to Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato (the Vision and Strategy for the Waikato River). The health and vitality of the river sit at the centre of planning, investment, and operational decisions. IAWAI also honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Treaty settlements within its area.
How will IAWAI respond – what’s the overall approach?
There’s no single fix. IAWAI will: prioritise affordability; focus on asset maintenance and renewals; put protection of the Awa at the centre of investment decisions; change how growth is funded (“growth pays for growth”); address development constraints (Hamilton and Northern Waikato); strengthen resilience (including to severe weather); and build the organisation cost consciously.
What are the headline investments?
About $3 billion is proposed over 10 years, including: upgrades at Pukete Wastewater Treatment Plant; a staged new Southern Wastewater Treatment Plant; upgrades at Huntly and Ngaaruawaahia Wastewater Plants; a new subregional water treatment plant; a 25 ML central Hamilton reservoir (funded by the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund – a grant from central government to support housing development); Hillcrest reservoir/pump station and trunk mains; bulk wastewater storage tanks; and multiple town water upgrades.
What are the proposed new “growth charges,” and who pays?
To move toward “growth pays for growth,” IAWAI proposes Water Supply and Wastewater Growth Charges on new builds consented on or after 1 July 2026.
- Residential: $200 (water) + $300 (wastewater) per year for 25 years per dwelling.
- Nonresidential: graduated per Housing Unit Equivalent (HUE) annual charges for 25 years.
Read more about these on page 24 of the Water Services Strategy Summary. These are expected to raise $46.3 million over 10 years, easing pressure on existing property owners.
How do I know what the water charges are for my household?
Drinking water and wastewater charges will be removed from your property rates.
If you live in Waikato District, you will have a fixed water charge of $594.02 and a fixed wastewater charge of $1,896.59. You will continue to receive a water meter bill twice yearly. Council will continue to charge for stormwater through your property rates. Overall, your water charge increase is $247 less than what was previously forecast (based on a median residential property using 210m3 of water per annum).
If you live in Hamilton City, residential water charges include a fixed charge ($28 for water supply and $14 for wastewater) but will mostly be based on your property’s value, regardless of how much or little water you use. The government has given us five years to move away from using property value as the basis for water charges.
Here’s how the proposed combined water and wastewater charges for next year compare with current water rates and the level of water rates previously proposed by Council:
$500,000 home
• Current annual water rates: $653
• Previously proposed Council water rates from 1 July: $837
• Proposed IAWAI water charges from 1 July 2026: $786
$720,000 home
• Current annual water rates: $940
• Previously proposed Council water rates from 1 July: $1,205
• Proposed IAWAI water charges from 1 July 2026: $1,114
$1 million home
• Current annual water rates: $1,305
• Previously proposed Council water rates from 1 July: $1,674
• Proposed IAWAI water charges from 1 July 2026: $1,530
$1.5 million home
• Current annual water rates: $1,958
• Previously proposed Council water rates from 1 July: $2,510
• Proposed IAWAI water charges from 1 July 2026: $2,274
How is IAWAI keeping prices as low as possible?
By tightening the capital programme, delivering year on year operational savings (targeting 2.5%-by 2028/29), seeking new revenue (growth charges), and using long-term debt to spread the cost of assets fairly across generations while smoothing price increases. In time, IAWAI will also progress price harmonisation across Hamilton and Waikato.
How can developers engage about constrained areas?
IAWAI aims to partner more commercially with developers and contractors and explore alternative delivery models (including private partnerships) in high-growth areas. Priorities include addressing servicing constraints in Hamilton and Northern Waikato to help unlock housing and business growth while protecting environmental outcomes.
Will there be residential water meters in Hamilton?
A decision hasn’t been made yet. Funding is included to enable a rollout across Hamilton (supporting a move from capital value to volumetric/user pays charging as required by legislation). Waikato District already has meters (since 2016), with funding to upgrade to digital meters. A volunteer water meter trial is about to start in Hamilton, learn more here.
What’s changing for me as a property owner?
For now, you won’t see a lot of changes.
- You’ll continue to receive the same water services.
- If you have any water-related issues, please contact your council.
- If you own residential property in Hamilton, you will still receive one invoice that includes both your rates and your water charges.
- If you own property in Waikato District, you will still receive one invoice with your rates and fixed water charges, and you will continue to get a separate water meter bill twice a year.
You can keep paying the same way you do now – all existing payment methods stay the same.
Property rates (set by Council in June) will still cover all other council services but will no longer include water. Councils will continue to rate for stormwater.
How is the IAWAI Significance and Engagement Policy different from Council?
The proposed policy generally aligns with existing Hamilton City Council and Waikato District Council significance and engagement policies but has been updated to reflect IAWAI’s role under the Act. It introduces new legal requirements, including identifying and reporting on significant contracts, and clarifies when IAWAI, Hamilton City Council, or Waikato District Council will lead engagement.
It also notes that consultation is not legally required for IAWAI’s annual water services budget, even where it differs from the Water Services Strategy, or when entering certain unplanned public–private partnership development agreements.
When are waivers proposed to be offered by IAWAI?
IAWAI may grant a waiver for penalties due to exceptional circumstances such as financial hardship, unexpected events, or genuine errors, and where it is fair and reasonable to do so.
Waivers may also apply for excess water use caused by an undetected leak. Additional waivers may be available in situations such as changes in property use, community organisations, or natural disasters.
For more information, please refer to the proposed policy.
Will IAWAI offer the same waivers as Councils?
Yes. The policy reflects existing waiver arrangements from Hamilton City Council and Waikato District Council. However, under new legislation, IAWAI can waive water charges but cannot postpone payments. This change is expected to have minimal impact, as postponements have been rarely used in the past by Hamilton City Council and Waikato District Council.
Some remissions included in Hamilton City Council and Waikato District Council Rates Remission Policies are not included in the IAWAI Waiver Policy because they do not relate to water charges.