Porirua households are being asked to pay hundreds of dollars more for water services as the Wellington region’s new water entity prepares to take control of billions of dollars of infrastructure.
Tiaki Wai has revealed average residential water charges across the region will rise from about $2,100 to $2,377 in 2026/27, an increase of $277 a year, or about $5 a week for the average household.
The increase comes despite the organisation issuing a media release on Friday highlighting that projected charges had been “whittled back” from earlier forecasts.
For residents, however, the bottom line remains the same: water charges are still going up.
Tiaki Wai Board Chair Will Peet said the increase was necessary to address decades of underinvestment in pipes, treatment plants and other water infrastructure across the Wellington region.
“I know many are doing it tough and this increase will still be challenging for people facing cost-of-living pressures on all sides,” Peet said.
The organisation says the lower-than-forecast increase has been achieved partly by stretching out its infrastructure investment programme.
That means it could take longer to reduce water leaks, pipe failures, flooding and wastewater overflows.
The new charges come as Tiaki Wai faces scrutiny over executive and board remuneration.
Chief executive Michael Brewster is paid $645,000 a year, while the board chair receives $110,000 and directors receive $60,000 each, figures that are significantly higher than those paid by predecessor organisation Wellington Water. According to previous reporting,
– Wellington Mayor Andrew Little described the salaries as “generous by any measure”.
Tiaki Wai has defended the remuneration, saying it is responsible for managing approximately $9 billion of water assets, overseeing major infrastructure investment and operating under a new regulatory regime.
The entity also says shareholder councils have agreed to provide an equity backstop in the event of a major unexpected incident. Tiaki Wai says that support reduces the need to rapidly build financial reserves and has helped limit the size of future increases.
Final charges are expected to be confirmed on June 16.
The exact amount paid by Porirua households will vary depending on property type and location.
For many residents, however, the immediate question is not whether the increase is lower than first forecast, but whether the additional cost will translate into fewer leaks, fewer wastewater overflows and a more reliable water network in the years ahead.