Porirua households will receive separate council and water bills from July 2026, ending the long-standing practice of a single annual rates invoice.
The change follows decisions confirmed at Porirua City Council’s 11 December meeting, where councillors approved amendments to the Long-term Plan to remove water services from council budgets once responsibility transfers to Metro Water.
From July 2026, Porirua City Council will no longer collect charges for drinking water, wastewater or stormwater. Those services will be billed directly by Metro Water, a new multi-council-owned water organisation.
Property owners will receive one bill from Porirua City Council covering non-water services and a separate bill from Metro Water for water-related charges.
Council reporting has highlighted a proposed 3.1 percent increase to non-water rates for the 2026–27 financial year. That increase applies only to the portion of rates that remains after water services are removed.
Porirua City Council will be a shareholder in Metro Water alongside Wellington, Hutt City, Upper Hutt City and Greater Wellington Regional Council. Mana whenua partners Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko Te Ika will also be involved in governance through a joint committee.
To reflect the transfer, council has formally amended its 10-year Long-term Plan, removing water-related budgets, assets and performance measures from year three onwards. The amendment was adopted without public consultation, using a provision in the Local Government Act that allows plan changes when services are removed.
Mayor Baker told the meeting the council was entering a transition period as responsibilities shift to new regional entities.
Council documents note that water charges will need to increase over time to fund infrastructure upgrades and resilience. However, no modelling has been released showing the combined impact of non-water rates and separate water charges on a typical household.
Details of council spending priorities and rates for 2026–27 will be considered as part of the draft Annual Plan, which is due to return to council in the new year.
From 2026, Porirua households will continue to pay for water services, but through a separate billing system administered by Metro Water.