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Annual Review 2026

YEAR AT A GLANCE Membership 3,466 2,862 members belong to special interest groups

IWA-ASPIRE and Water New Zealand Conference & Expo 2025

Stormwater Conference and Expo 2025 799 delegates and exhibitors

2,193 delegates and exhibitors

Water Journal 11,997 printed copies Online views 3,306

Technical guides 19 new documents completed

Pipeline

LinkedIn followers

12,784 recipients

15,982 UP 16%

55 webinars, online events 4,427 registrations

22 legislative and regulatory submissions

46 regional and member events 1,632 registrations

Courses and learning opportunities 1,320 enrolments across 10 digital badges, three digital pins, two modules and four free courses 467 learners enrolled

Cover image: Rotorua lakefront, Photo credit: Pip Donnelly

10 podcasts 2,161 listeners

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Water New Zealand is your water community Ka ora te wai Ka ora te whenua Ka ora ngā tāngata If the water is healthy, the land is healthy, the people are healthy

This year’s Annual Review provides a summary of our goals and achievements through the lens of our strategic pillars: • Workforce: Lifting sector capability and capacity by promoting water careers, supporting workforce development, and helping shape future training and authorisation frameworks. • Advice and Advocacy: Providing trusted, evidence-based technical advice to support regulatory reform, influence policy development, and advance best practice across the sector. • Transformation: Progressing the Transformation 2050 vision by championing healthy water, resilient communities, workforce development, digital innovation, and the integration of mātauranga Māori. • Events: Connecting and informing the sector through conferences, regional meetings, webinars, publications, and knowledge-sharing opportunities that support continuous improvement. • Relationships: Strengthening relationships across the water community, working collaboratively with members, regulators, iwi, government agencies, and water service providers to achieve better outcomes for Aotearoa New Zealand.

Workforce

Advice & Advocacy

Transformation 2050

Events

Relationships

Lifting sector capability and capacity

A “seat at the table” as the provider of trusted apolitical technical advice

Leading water transformation

The must-attend events programme

The water community you want to be a part of

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Message from the Water New Zealand President Tim Gibson Delivering on strategy during a year of change This has been another defining year for the water sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. After several years of reform and uncertainty, we reached an important milestone as councils submitted their Water Services Delivery Plans and confirmed their proposed funding and delivery models. These decisions have provided better clarity about the future of water services and helped set in motion the establishment of new organisations, new ways of working, and new opportunities for collaboration across the sector. Supporting our members through this transition has remained at the heart of Water New Zealand’s work. As you’ll see throughout this Annual Review, we’ve continued to strengthen our strategic focus to ensure we are well placed to support members navigating an increasingly complex operating environment. This year the Water New Zealand Board reviewed our strategic pillars and confirmed they remain fit for purpose, underpinned by the values that define our organisation: collaboration, curiosity and a can-do attitude. I hope those values are evident in what we have achieved this year. Ensuring a sustainable water future continues to guide our strategy. Achieving that also depends on trusted technical expertise, strong relationships and a willingness to collaborate, work together and share knowledge. Throughout the year we have continued to build partnerships across government, local authorities, industry and the wider water sector. We have also remained committed to being a respected, evidence-based voice, providing practical technical advice that helps decision-makers navigate change with confidence. That credibility is built on the expertise of our members. Our special interest groups continue to provide the technical backbone of our organisation, helping shape our advocacy, informing submissions and ensuring Water New Zealand has a trusted and influential seat at the table. Collaboration has also extended well beyond our membership. One example this year was the Cost of Stopping report, produced in partnership with Infrastructure New Zealand and Civil Contractors New Zealand. The report, authored by economist Shamubeel Eaqub, showed the significant economic costs of pausing, cancelling or delaying infrastructure projects. It reinforced the understanding from the sector that maintaining a consistent pipeline of investment delivers better value, greater productivity and stronger long-term outcomes for communities. Stop-start investment also affects the people who deliver essential infrastructure. When work becomes uncertain, skilled professionals leave the sector or seek opportunities overseas, taking valuable knowledge and experience with them. Maintaining a stable pipeline of work is therefore critical not only for infrastructure delivery but also for retaining the workforce capability we will need in the decades ahead. Our Business Pulse Surveys have continued to provide valuable insight into these challenges. This year we produced two reports – in November 2025 and March 2026. They continued to highlight the need for greater certainty in political and financial decisionmaking, improved workforce capability and capacity, and the need for stronger confidence across the sector to support long-term planning and investment.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Recognising the significant organisational change underway, we established, with Watercare’s chief executive, Jamie Sinclair, the Water Chief Executives’ Forum. Bringing together leaders from emerging council-controlled organisations and business units, the forum provides an important opportunity to share experiences, align on common challenges and strengthen leadership across the sector as reforms continue to take shape. Alongside this, Gillian has established a new platform for CCO chairs to share knowledge and engage with each other. Our conferences and many regional events continued to bring members and the wider sector together and ensured a platform for knowledge sharing and staying connected with each other. The year has also seen ongoing discussion around Treaty partnerships and the evolving role of indigenous knowledge and cultural engagement within water management. Water New Zealand remains committed to fostering respectful, informed conversations that support better outcomes for communities and the environment, including mātauranga Māori knowledge and recognising the role of the Treaty of Waitangi (p.5). Looking ahead, political decisions about infrastructure investment, regional development and vocational education will continue to shape the sector’s ability to deliver safe, resilient and sustainable water services. Water New Zealand will continue to advocate for long-term, evidence-based decision-making and sustained investment in both infrastructure and people. While the pace of change has been considerable, one thing has remained constant – the willingness of our members to share knowledge, support one another and work collectively towards a stronger water future. Last year we farewelled Past President Lorraine Kendrick and welcomed Stephen Burton to the board. Later this year, Priyan Perera will step into my shoes as the new Water New Zealand President while I move into the role of Past President. Finally, thank you to all our members, our board and staff for your continued commitment to our sector and to Water New Zealand.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Message from the Water New Zealand CEO Gillian Blythe Our members are our strength Our Water New Zealand whakatauki Ka ora te wai, ka ora te whenua, ka ora ngā tāngata – if the water is healthy, the land is healthy, the people are healthy – seems particularly fitting this year as we come to the ten year anniversary of the Havelock North contamination crisis – the event that sparked the reform journey we’ve been on for the past decade. We now have a stronger regulatory environment with a clear focus on drinking water safety as well as a focus on improving the impact on the environment. For me, it’s been heartening to see how our members have embraced this. This is a sector where so many people have made their careers around making a difference and this year has been no exception. As a result, we’ve seen Water New Zealand continue to grow and set records each year. At 3,466 members, we’ve set a new record, conference attendance has reached new highs, and engagement across our events, webinars, training and professional development programmes has never been stronger. These results, highlighted in our Year at a Glance (p.2), reflect a sector that is committed to learning, sharing knowledge and working together through a period of significant change. Our growth has also helped to put us in a stronger, secure financial position enabling us to support and fund new projects for the benefit of the sector. Projects have included co-funding, with DIA (Dept of Internal Affairs), a new workforce survey to establish the first comprehensive picture of our workforce – its size, gaps and capability. This year we completed a review of onsite wastewater chlorination in collaboration with the Land Treatment Collective and PHF Science. We’re also supporting the funding and development of two new projects, associated resources for the Land Treatment Guide with co-funding from the New Zealand Land Treatment Collective and a review of onsite wastewater capability and training. The devastating impact of flooding and severe stormwater events reinforces the fact that water is at the centre of some of our biggest climate challenges. Whether responding to floods, droughts, or protecting drinking water quality and the environment, our sector is increasingly on the frontline of climate resilience. Against this backdrop, we’ve continued to pursue a long-term vision for a sustainable and resilient water future through our Transformation 2050 pillar. Our advocacy has remained firmly focused on the issues that will shape the sector for decades to come. Through submissions on legislation and ongoing engagement with regulators, we have worked to represent our members, the sector at large and ensure that your voice is heard. Advice and advocacy this year have included key reforms such as information disclosure requirements, wastewater environmental performance standards, workforce authorisations and other regulatory settings that will underpin the success of the new water service delivery arrangements.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

As we move into this new era of water service delivery, it will be more important than ever to keep customers and communities at the centre of every decision. Building public understanding of the value of water, the importance of resilient infrastructure and the investment required to deliver safe, reliable services will require open, honest and consistent communication. Transparency, a strong customer focus supported by strong leadership, sound governance and a long-term commitment to investment, will be essential to maintaining the social licence needed for long term success. Supporting that transition has been a key focus for us. During the year we partnered with Simpson Grierson to develop a Water Governance Directors’ Handbook, providing practical guidance for new organisations, current and prospective board members, and others seeking to understand the opportunities and responsibilities created by the new operating environment. Building capability remains one of our highest priorities. Our professional development programme has continued to expand, with new digital learning modules, badges and micro-credentials making training more accessible than ever. We launched our refreshed Cultural Significance and Importance of Wai course to coincide with Mātariki. This updated module builds on the success of the previous programme, providing greater flexibility, while deepening understanding of the cultural values of wai and the importance of integrating these perspectives into water management and decision-making. If you look across our strategic pillars, it’s clear that the support of our members has been key to ensuring that Water New Zealand continues to grow and maintain our relevance in these turbulent times. I reiterate Tim Gibson’s appreciation and thanks to our members, especially those who have taken time to contribute to our special interest groups, submissions, training programmes and webinars. We’re in a very positive place to continue our work into the future, bringing people together, fostering collaboration and supporting the connections that strengthen our sector.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Workforce

Lifting sector capability and capacity

This year we continued to strengthen sector capability, skills, and professionalism through the expansion of training and digital learning opportunities and working with partner organisations across the education and tertiary training sectors. Our Water Workforce Strategy remained focused on building sector capacity and capability by raising the profile of the water industry and working collaboratively with educators, not only at tertiary level but also at secondary and primary school level. Through our work with industry partners, we have focused on ensuring the development of a fit-for-purpose qualifications framework that meets the sector’s current and future workforce needs. Our refreshed training page has made for a more user-friendly experience and broadened its appeal by providing learning opportunities from short modules to in-depth online courses.

Career pathways Career pathway development remained a priority, with the promotion of leadership, travel, and technical scholarships. The mentoring programme continued to connect young people new to the sector with experienced professionals to support and promote knowledge growth and leadership development. Sector employment opportunities were also actively promoted through the Pipeline jobs board, helping to increase workforce visibility and attract new entrants.

CareerWise We subscribed to the national careers digital education platform CareerWise to give sustained visibility of water sector career pathways in secondary schools. Between February and June 2026, Water New Zealand content consistently reached 38,000 to 60,000 students per post, demonstrating strong awareness-building within this audience. The CareerWise team reported that Water New Zealand’s content performed above average relative to other organisations on the platform, citing the effective use of multimedia, engaging content formats, and clear calls to action. In particular, the career quiz campaign achieved almost double the average number of interactions, reinforcing the value of purpose-led, career-focused messaging in building awareness of water sector career pathways.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Water New Zealand training opportunities This year we launched new training opportunities in key areas – digital pins for Chemicals and Drinking Water: Lead, and Temporary Traffic Management, along with an Erosion and Sediment Control digital badge.

We added a new online digital course, Blue-Green Infrastructure, and refreshed and revamped our popular Cultural Significance and Importance of Wai in preparation for a Matariki 2026 launch.

School Water Supplies Digital Badge Rural schools that are self-supplied with water have been identified as a high-risk to public health. Our School Water Supplies digital badge is aimed at providing school principals with the knowledge needed to ensure water supply is safe. This year, the Ministry of Education purchased several training packages to upskill principals and school leaders.

New training pin – Chemicals in Drinking Water: Lead This online course is designed for operators, infrastructure managers, and drinking water communication teams to help understand how lead leaches into drinking water systems and how to manage plumbosolvency.

Continued growth in digital badge opportunities There is continued interest across many other digital badges. As an example, the Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai this year agreed to fund up to 50 staff training packages.

In total, we now offer four free courses, three digital pins, 10 digital badges and two modules.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Other opportunities Professional development opportunities were also delivered through backflow refresher courses, stormwater training, modelling workshops, and drinking water protection learning streams.

Authorisations – ensuring the right skills for the right jobs We have been advocating, on behalf of the water industry, for a competency framework to ensure that organisations and staff performing safety-critical work in water are competent and qualified to do their work. The new water services legislation now requires mandatory authorisations are introduced in 2031 to ensure the right skills for the right job. This year we produced a background document and funded a series of workshops around the country aimed at ensuring sector input to ensure that the proposed regulations being drafted by Taumata Arowai are practical and appropriate. More than 250 registered to take part in the workshops, both online and in person. We combined the workshops with an optional extra – Telling Our Stories workshops with communications trainer Michael Philpott to help provide tools to connect with nontechnical audiences and give confidence when presenting.

Workforce Survey Plan We engaged the research firm Cogo to progress a sectorwide workforce survey to establish the first comprehensive picture of Aotearoa New Zealand’s water workforce. The survey is being developed alongside the authorisations programme, with additional funding support from the Department of Internal Affairs. It is important to understand

the size, composition, and capability of the workforce before designing competency and authorisation requirements. When complete, the survey will provide critical evidence on workforce numbers, capability, qualifications, and future workforce needs to inform regulatory, training, and workforce planning decisions.

Scholarships Our scholarships programme, launched last year, continued to benefit members through learning and career promotion. See more in Relationships.

Wonderful Wai kits – updated from 1 July 2025 We continued to support the Wonderful Wai science kits through the House of Science. This is an inspiring initiative helping tamariki across Aotearoa New Zealand explore the magic of wai in engaging hands-on ways. During the year, our Wonderful Wai kits were booked 232 times by schools and used by almost 700 teachers, reaching more than 56,000 students.

Feedback from teachers: “It was great! The students really enjoyed the activities and it linked perfectly to our inquiry around matter and the water cycle. We loved how easy the kit was to follow from a teacher perspective, and having all the resources there is just so handy.” Te Kowhai School, Waikato “Thank you, it is a great service. It is early days for us, but so wonderful to be able to have the lesson plans and resources come to us so we can offer our students hands-on learning. In a world that is going increasingly digital, this learning is invaluable for engagement and practical understanding of science and how the world works. Ngā mihi nui.” Opua School, Far North

Water New Zealand has been advocating, on behalf of the industry, for a competency framework to ensure people have the right skills for the job. New mandatory authorisations will come into force in 2031.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Advice and advocacy A “seat at the table” as a provider of trusted apolitical technical advice

This was another big year for reform as councils and water organisations developed their Water Services Delivery Plans following the passing of the Local Government Water Services Act. We played a key role in advising the sector, ensuring members had access to information and opportunities to contribute to government regulatory changes, including major technical revisions such as assisting The Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai with technical clarifications on the new Wastewater Environmental Performance Standards. Evidence-based submissions on bills continued to be a big focus throughout the year. Work on technical documents continued with the development of new best practice guidelines. Our special interest groups were active with input into papers at conferences and workshops, guidance documents and codes of practice. We facilitated the development of a new Chief Executives Forum to complement the work being done through our Water Service Managers Group and Water Utilities Association. In addition, we are supporting opportunities and forums for Chairs to meet. Through our webinars, regional meetings, workshops and conferences, and support for our special interest groups, we ensured that members had access to information and the opportunity to have their voices heard.

Water Research Roadmap In January, we launched the Water Research Roadmap aimed at creating a more effective, joined-up approach to research and development. The 200 scientists and sector leaders who took part identified water quality, public health, climate change and environmental impacts, and workforce capability as being the three most important focus areas. The roadmap identified many cases of researchers working in isolation rather than through a shared coordination framework and this lack of coordination was preventing best outcomes.

Good Practice Guides SCADA Systems in Water and Wastewater Management (September) SCADA Systems in Water and Wastewater Management Good Practice Guidelines September 2025

ISBN 978-1-0670357-6-1

This publication was developed by the Smart Water Infrastructure Group as an introduction to SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems. It covers the key functions and stakeholders involved in setting up, maintaining, and extracting information from SCADA. It has been designed to support understanding of the key elements of SCADA to assess organisational risks, support procurement considerations, and unlock data analysis opportunities.

Chlorination of Onsite Wastewater – Literature Review and Council Survey This report provides a literature review on the chlorination of onsite wastewater management systems (OWMS) within New Zealand and international contexts. The aim was to investigate the impact of chlorination on onsite wastewater quality and the implications for the receiving environment and public health. Key insights from regional councils and unitary authorities were also incorporated to determine the current usage and potential future update of onsite wastewater chlorination as a disinfection method. This report was written in collaboration with PHF Science and the Land Treatment Collective and funded by Water New Zealand.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Low-Risk, Low-Impact Routine Water Asset Works Requiring Temporary Traffic Management (November) Commissioned by the Water Services Managers Group, and launched late last year, this document provides nationally consistent guidance for planning and implementing Temporary Traffic Management (TTM) for low-risk, low-impact routine water asset works within New Zealand’s road corridors. It aims to improve safety while reducing unnecessary cost and complexity for minor works.

Three Waters Asset Data Standards (3W ADS) Version 4.0 This year we continued to lead the development and promotion of the Three Waters Asset Data Standards (3W ADS), releasing Version 4.0 in January 2026. The publication of the new version is a big step towards nationally consistent water asset data management. It is a simplified, flexible and machine-readable version to support better asset management, improved decision-making, regulatory reporting, and alignment with emerging National Engineering Design Standards.

Water Sector Governance Good governance of the new water organisations will be a key to ensuring the succes of the Local Water Done Well reforms. Through podcasts, webinars, and working collaboratively with the Institute of Directors’, we provided support to the sector to help understand why water organisation governance matters and what good water governance looks like. We also produced a Directors’ Handbook in collaboration with Simpson Grierson. See more under Relationships.

Water Governance Directors’ handbook

May 2026

Two State-of-Business Pulse Surveys Released This year we carried out two surveys on business confidence and conditions – in November 2025 and March 2026. The surveys found a marked improvement in business conditions, with over half of the respondents noting some or significant improvement. The need for consistency in both political and financial spheres continued to be an overwhelming theme. A call for improving staff capability and capacity at water service providers was echoed by respondents. The surveys identified a bottleneck in the project delivery pipeline as water service providers experience restructuring and staff move on to other opportunities.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Resources for Local Body Election Candidates – Local Water Done Well We built a hub for candidates in the October 2025 local body elections to provide practical information and guidance about water service delivery and policy. The resources were developed in collaboration with the Department of Internal Affairs, The Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai, the Commerce Commission and Āpōpō, to help local councillors understand water services and the associated legislation.

Policy and Regulatory Taskforce This year we established the Policy and Regulatory Taskforce to provide a coordinated, cross-sector forum for understanding and responding to the significant policy and regulatory changes affecting the water sector. Bringing together expertise from water service providers, councils, consultants and regulatory specialists, the taskforce builds a shared understanding of the evolving regulatory landscape, identifies common implementation challenges and gaps, and informs Water New Zealand’s work programme and sector support activities. It helps ensure the sector is well positioned to respond to regulatory change and provides insight into where additional guidance, support or engagement may be needed to help policy and regulatory settings reflect the practical needs of the water sector.

Further investment to improve sector outcomes As well as supporting the above projects, this year we budgeted additional funds to support partners and members develop new further initiatives aimed at supporting and growing sector knowledge. These include: •

Land Treatment Guide – proposed by the Land Treatment Collective to support the implementation of wastewater standards for discharging treated wastewater land.

•

Onsite Wastewater Capability and Training Review – proposed by the Onsite Wastewater Special Interest Group. This will map required competences against available training and identify future professional development needs.

Submissions 2025 Foundational Information Disclosure Determination for Wellington Water – July Updating RMA National Direction – July National Infrastructure Plan – July Going for Housing Growth – July Local Government (Systems Improvements) Amendment Bill – August NCEA reform – September Information Disclosure for Water Services – October Industry Skills Board Order in Council – October Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules – December

2026 Public Works Amendment Bill – January Emergency Management Bill – January Planning and Natural Environment Bill – February Price Quality Regulation for Watercare – February Infrastructure Funding and Financing Amendment Bill – February Supporting Growth Through a Development Levies System – February Taxation and the Not-for-Profit Sector – February Technical Amendments to Wastewater Environmental Performance Standards – March Enhancing the Cybersecurity of New Zealand’s Critical Infrastructure System – April Firefighting Water Supplies – Code of Practice – April Economic Regulation for Tiaki Wai – additional information disclosure requirements – June Economic Regulation for Tiaki Wai – recommending performance requirement regulations – June Ring-fencing revenue for regulated water services – June

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Reports from our Special Interest Groups (SIGs) Our special interest groups (SIGs) provide expertise, leadership and collaboration that underpin Water New Zealand’s technical guidance, professional development, advocacy and industry best practice. They play a critical role in delivering sector impact and member value by bringing together members with the same interests to liaise, share and solve problems, promote their fields of interest, encourage discussion and develop and maintain industry standards and policies.

Chair: Brian Brown Our mission is to advocate industry best practice through education, conferences and forums, standards, legislation, and guidelines. The Water New Zealand Backflow Group is the pre-eminent collective of knowledge on backflow in Aotearoa New Zealand. We represent all aspects of the backflow industry, including manufacturers, plumbers, training providers, water suppliers, and building compliance officials.

Drinking Water Protection Conference 2025 This was the group’s showcase event, held in Ōtautahi Christchurch, in August. The conference fostered knowledge sharing, professional development, and strengthened collaboration between Aotearoa New Zealand and Australian water and plumbing industries, reinforcing the important connections in advancing drinking water safety practices. There were 56 delegates from various sectors, such as local councils and industry specialists, and speakers included the chief executive of the Backflow Prevention Association of Australia, Peter McLennan, and the vice-president, Peter Damaso. Biosecurity and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard also attended. The two-day event featured 19 presentations on drinking water protection and backflow prevention, along with practical training sessions.

Backflow Standard The AS/NZS 2845.4 Backflow Standard for Integrated Equipment is progressing and consultation over the draft is expected soon. Committee members: Brian Brown (chair), Richard Aitken, Andrew Booth, Erica Hobbs, Glen Burr, Hugh Chapman, Jon Lewis, Kevin Healy, Michael Hartstonge, Wayne Shields, Steve Loughlin.

Chair: Evan Vaughters Our mission is to provide leadership across the Aotearoa New Zealand water sector to enable it to act to limit the effects of climate change. We actively work across all three waters to provide guidance to meet zero carbon goals and adapt to the impacts and risks of a changing climate. Our work is organised across five dedicated subgroups. We have stayed active throughout the year, with special emphasis on policy, advocacy, knowledge sharing, and increasing our understanding of uptake within the industry.

Mitigation (Technical) Previously, this subgroup has focused primarily on emissions from wastewater treatment plants and processes. We produced guidelines to help operators and managers understand the impacts of methane and nitrous oxide generated by wastewater processes.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Current efforts are focused on creating an emissions measurement database. To aid in this exercise, a survey was done to better understand the uptake, understanding, and barriers to emissions measurement and incorporation of climate impacts into decision making. The survey results showed a desire for more guidance on carbon accounting, so we will be planning further refreshers later in the year. Ultimately, this work is intended to support National Environmental Performance Reporting via the Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai.

Adaptation (Technical) Our communities face ever-increasing pressure from climate change impacts. The infrastructure that we plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain has a significant role in protecting our communities. The water sector has an important role to play. This was driven home most recently with the publication of the 2026 National Climate Change Risk Assessment. Key activities included: •

A webinar that focused on three case studies from the Climate Challenges compendium, produced in late 2024

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Subgroup chair Jane Hancock presented a paper at this year’s Stormwater Conference focusing on integrating climate scenarios in stormwater design

•

The paper complemented the SIG workshop at the Water New Zealand Conference and Expo, focusing on whether we can build ourselves out of the climate crisis.

Embodied carbon (Technical) Embodied carbon consists of the emissions from the products, transport, and maintenance that form the building of infrastructure across an asset’s lifecycle – commonly called the carbon footprint. Last year saw the release of Understanding Embodied Carbon in the Water Sector, a key guidance document aimed at building awareness of carbon embedded in infrastructure as the result of procurement decisions. A series of webinars and events followed to support this work, with a focus on promoting good practice, sharing case studies, and encouraging consistent data use aligned with international standards such as PAS 2080. Three in-person events were scheduled in July 2026, highlighting case studies comparing whole project baseline assessments with focused options assessments. These events are supported by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council and represent a great opportunity for cross-sector leadership.

Policy and Advocacy Despite changing headwinds, the Policy and Advocacy subgroup was busy this year providing input on integrating climate mitigation and adaptation into submissions. We are also focused on providing guidance to new water supply entities and incorporating climate considerations into their Water Services Strategies. There will be further opportunities to provide advice on the National Adaptation Plan in response to the most recent National Climate Change Risk Assessment report. It will be increasingly important to highlight this work and ensure proper integration into Water New Zealand draft strategies and statements of expectation going forward.

Knowledge sharing Overall, knowledge sharing has been a key focus. Most of the subgroups work towards improving understanding across the industry through events and guidance documents. We have run webinars on the workstreams of our other groups and held a series of in-person events to showcase stories related to mitigation, adaptation, and embodied carbon. Our group has also contributed articles to the Water journal and Tāwara o te Wai podcasts, supported our members to present at conferences, and connected with related networks inside and outside the water sector. Committee members: Evan Vaughters (chair), Jackson MacFarlane (vice-chair), Nick Dempsey, Catherine Taiapa, Punya Chandi, Matt Findlay, Jonathan Reed, Hayden Porter, Jane Hancock, Simon Bradshaw, Nathan Wilson, Dr Saleem Akhter, Song Li, Brendon Harkness.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion “Whiria te tangata” Weave the people together WATER NEW ZEALAND

Chair: Dr Deborah Lind We aim to foster an inclusive environment where diverse voices and perspectives are welcomed and integrated to drive meaningful outcomes for the water sector.

Conference Activities We held a workshop at the Water New Zealand Conference and Expo to develop the DEI workplan for 2026. Some of the themes that emerged were: •

Working with schools, providing content and information sources

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Data collection with a focus on Water New Zealand members

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Highlighting Diversity Champions to share their experiences and provide insights on ways of working to ensure inclusion and belonging.

A quiet space has been allocated at all conferences.

Special Interest Groups We continued to work with the YWP (Young Water Professionals) group to engage them as part of a planned programme to work with schools and academia.

DEI Data and Information We continue to collect and improve the quality of data from the membership. A repeat of a 2019 sector survey showed that the number of consultancies collecting data on their staff ethnicity and career level breakdown has doubled and there has been a 9 percent increase in female representation resulting in a 40:60 female/male ratio in professional water service consultancies.

Ozwater 2026 Deborah Lind attended sessions under Theme 5: Advances in People, Culture, Diversity, Inclusion and Equity. Papers were presented on developing the workforce of tomorrow (innovative cultures, climate resilient workforces, inspiring the next generation) and building inclusion (neurodiversity and disabilities). Ideas will be taken forward for future Water New Zealand conferences and events. Committee members: Deborah Lind, Uki Dele, Kate Simmonds, James Ross, Anisha Sharma, Teresa Wooding, Nicki O’Sullivan, Mazijing Zhong, Imran Khan, Manjit Devgun, Stanley Samay. Thank you to those who stepped off the committee to take roles overseas (Emma Brand, Arash Farjood, Simonah Ferreira) and Bidara Pathirage.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Chair: Judy Williamson Our mission is to advance drinking water quality practice and outcome in Aotearoa New Zealand through collaboration. We represent all aspects of drinking water practice, including technical advisers, process engineers, equipment suppliers, laboratory experts, scientists, training providers, water suppliers, and compliance officials.

New Subgroup Restructuring In August 2025 we rearranged our SIG into six subgroups (Water Reuse, Source Water, Small Waters, Contaminants of Emerging Concern, Education/Comms, and Compliance). The aim was to allow the wide experience and knowledge within the group to develop and focus on specific projects. Most members have joined two to three subgroups and the new groupings have attracted additional members. For example, the Source Water subgroup now has representation from regional councils, so it is good to see such collaborations developing.

Conference Workshop in 2025 The group ran a workshop at the Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2025: Effective Drinking Water Sampling and Data Management. Two SIG members presented a successful paper at the conference (finalist for Paper of the Year) addressing the challenges faced by small suppliers. They were later invited to repeat the presentation to the staff at Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai. We are planning a workshop on potable water re-use at the Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2026.

Other activities The subgroups are now working across a wide range of tasks, including: •

Collation of existing resources, particularly around educating water suppliers and the public

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Updating the Water New Zealand Competency Framework for Small Water Suppliers

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Consolidating potable reuse case studies

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Working to complete the Code of Practice for Responding to Events

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Producing one-page guidance documents for plumbers, installers, and irrigation/plumbing suppliers around Acceptable Solutions.

Planning is under way for several webinars in the coming months: Understanding the Disease Burden; Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment; Golden Clams (Issues, Chemistry and Mitigation); MFE Freshwater Microbiological Survey; Cyanobacteria. Committee members: Christopher Bergin, Deborah Prus-Loughlin, Ivan Ottenheijm, Kathryn Jessamine, Maria Johnson, Matt Dodson, Megan Devane, Matt Parkinson, Tatiana Derevianko, Silvia Vlad, Helen Rutter, Louise Weaver, Craig Radford, Neil Leat, Gillian Bullock, Judy Williamson, Belinda Cridge.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Outgoing Chair: Wioletta Gilfoyle Chair: Paul Haddon The Modelling group connects professionals who apply and advance modelling across water, wastewater, stormwater, groundwater, and integrated catchment systems. Our mission is to promote and support industry best practice in water modelling through education, events, and guidelines, providing a trusted forum for collaboration, learning, and technical leadership.

Water New Zealand Modelling Symposium 2026 – Many Scenarios, One Decision: Water Modelling Done Well Held in Ōtautahi Christchurch (19-20 March), the symposium drew more than 100 delegates from across the motu. The Ministry for the Environment presented the New Zealand Flood Map project, and, in a report called Better Modelling, Better Decisions, the Commerce Commission explored how transparent modelling supports fair and evidence‑driven regulation. Practical field trips offered delegates a close‑up view of water treatment plants across the city, including the Bromley WWTP and Halswell SW Basins, showcasing the interface between modelling and real operations.

Regional networks and events We continued to grow our regional presence with joint events and industry partnerships: •

Kirikiriroa Hamilton (April 2026) – Joint session with ICE (Institute of Civil Engineers) and CIWEM on cyanobacteria management and river processes

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Tauranga (April 2026) – Presentations examining flood modelling, sediment dynamics, and ecologically driven stormwater design

•

Auckland (November 2025) – The annual Auckland Pub Quiz brought members together for an evening of industry camaraderie and informal networking

•

Christchurch (October 2025) – Joint session with the Water New Zealand Drinking Water Group exploring drinking water quality and water supply quantity modelling

•

Wellington (September 2025) – Evening talk showcasing river assessments, followed by networking and discussion on urban catchment management.

These regional gatherings have strengthened our reach and sense of community nationwide, providing valuable spaces for technical exchange, peer learning, and collaboration across disciplines and regions.

Knowledge and guidelines The committee progressed the update of the Wastewater Modelling Guidelines, with industry consultation scheduled for later in 2026. AI applications and data integration have also been added to the work programme for future guidance. The quarterly newsletter continues to share event recaps, case studies, and research insights with hundreds of readers across Aotearoa New Zealand. Committee members: Wioletta Gilfoyle, Paul Haddon, Mike Dunstone, Ajay Desai, Ali Payne, Dave Ripley, Joe Xie, Juan Alvarez de Lugo, Alice Harang, Tracey Myers, Lauren Carter, Sherine Sathiasothy, Kirsten Henden.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Chair: Caleb Pirini Our mission is to uphold Te Mana o te Wai by promoting sustainable, effective, and fit-for-purpose onsite wastewater management systems that protect public health, drinking water sources, and the environment. Onsite wastewater systems continue to service approximately one in five New Zealanders. They play a critical role in protecting public health, environmental values, and drinking water sources across Aotearoa New Zealand. As development pressures increase and environmental expectations evolve, the importance of a capable, collaborative, and technically robust onsite wastewater industry has never been greater. The OWMS Special Interest Group is a forum for collaboration among regulators, practitioners, manufacturers, installers, consultants, researchers, asset owners, and industry stakeholders. Throughout the past year, the group has focused on several initiatives aimed at strengthening industry capability, improving consistency, and helping shape the future direction of onsite wastewater management.

Testing facility: Building the case for a New Zealand-based solution The lack of a New Zealand-based testing facility remains one of the most significant challenges facing the onsite wastewater sector. Since the closure of the OSET National Testing Programme (OSET NTP) in 2019, manufacturers in Aotearoa New Zealand have been required to seek testing and verification through overseas facilities. This has increased costs, reduced accessibility, and created uncertainty around how technologies are assessed against local environmental conditions and regulatory expectations. Recognising the importance of independent testing capability, the OWMS SIG has reintroduced this workstream as a priority area. During the year, discussions have progressed around the feasibility of establishing a replacement testing facility, including consideration of governance structures, funding pathways, industry participation, and long-term operational requirements. Encouraging progress has been made through the identification of a potential site at Linton Army Base, and engagement with industry stakeholders. Discussions have also started with Water New Zealand over support for a formal business case to develop a facility that provides independent, credible, and locally relevant performance verification while supporting innovation and maintaining environmental protection.

Suitably Qualified Persons: From Discussion to Definition The question of what constitutes a “suitably qualified person” is one of the most important issues facing the onsite wastewater industry. Across the country, councils frequently reference suitably qualified professionals within their policies, consent conditions, and approval processes. However, there remains no nationally agreed definition of what qualifications, competencies, training, or experience are required to meet this expectation. Engagement with councils has highlighted widespread support for establishing greater clarity and consistency around professional competency requirements. A key outcome has been recognition that the onsite wastewater sector encompasses a range of roles, including designers, installers, inspectors, service technicians, compliance officers, and asset managers. Each role requires different competencies, yet there is no nationally recognised framework that clearly defines these expectations. The group’s focus has shifted from identifying the problem to understanding what a practical solution may look like. This includes reviewing existing training pathways, competency frameworks, certification models, and opportunities for industryled professional development. This work will provide an important foundation for discussions around qualifications, competency assessment, and professional recognition within the onsite wastewater sector.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Education and Capability Development Closely linked to the “suitably qualified person” workstream is the broader challenge of education and workforce development. The industry currently relies on a combination of tertiary education, manufacturer training, council guidance, mentoring, professional development, and practical field experience. Although many high-quality training opportunities exist, they have generally evolved independently and do not form part of a coordinated national pathway. We have been exploring how practitioners currently enter the industry, where their skills are developed, and where gaps exist. Discussions have highlighted the importance of retaining institutional knowledge as experienced professionals approach retirement while also ensuring new entrants have access to meaningful development opportunities. We have begun identifying opportunities to better align existing training resources and improve visibility of available education pathways.

Navigating Regulatory Change and Emerging Issues The regulatory landscape surrounding onsite wastewater continues to evolve. Throughout the year, we have discussed several emerging issues that have the potential to influence the industry. One example is the increasing prevalence of housing intensification and ancillary dwellings, including recent discussions around granny flat consent exemptions. These initiatives raise questions regarding wastewater servicing, disposal field capacity, cumulative environmental effects, and long-term asset performance. The industry has an important role to play in ensuring practical housing solutions do not unintentionally create environmental or public health risks. We have continued discussions around how practitioners, councils, and regulators can work together to achieve consistent, best practice outcomes.

Environmental regulations Another key area has been understanding the potential implications of Wastewater Environmental Performance Standards and other emerging environmental regulations. Many of the principles underpinning the standards – particularly around environmental outcomes, monitoring, accountability, and system performance – may influence expectations for not only larger publicly owned networks but also the wider wastewater sector over time. As these conversations develop, we remain committed to providing a constructive forum for technical discussion, knowledge sharing, and industry collaboration.

Data, Monitoring and Demonstrating Performance Advancements in telemetry, remote monitoring, compliance reporting, and asset management are creating new opportunities to better understand how systems perform over their operational life. These tools have the potential to improve environmental outcomes, support regulatory confidence, and provide valuable insights into long-term system performance. Future regulatory and community expectations are likely to place greater emphasis on demonstrating performance rather than simply verifying design intent. Building industry capability in this area will be an important part of ensuring onsite wastewater systems continue to be recognised as a reliable and effective infrastructure solution.

Looking Forward As outlined above, the coming year presents significant opportunities for the onsite wastewater industry. As chair of this group, I would like to acknowledge the contribution of deputy chair Emily Collings whose leadership, technical expertise, and commitment to industry collaboration have helped drive many of our initiatives over the past year. I would also like to acknowledge previous chair Marc Jensen for his leadership. He was instrumental in progressing discussions around industry standards, training and qualifications, and the future of an Aotearoa New Zealand-based testing facility. Thank you to every committee member who continues to generously contribute their time, knowledge, and experience to support the advancement of the onsite wastewater sector. Committee members: Caleb Pirini, Emily Collings, Fiona Ambury, John Cocks, Dev Patel, Gareth Williams, Brent Hawthorn, Rupert Craggs, Andrew Wright, Marcus Te Ohaere-Fox, Jeffrey Haefele, Marc Jensen.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Outgoing Chair: Nicolette Voskuilen Chair: Sam Repia The Smart Water Infrastructure Group (SWIG) is Water New Zealand’s community for digital and smart water, bringing together utilities and the wider supply chain to share practical lessons, lift capability, and drive consistent, standardised approaches that improve customer, environmental, and operational outcomes. Last year we presented at Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2025 to reveal barriers and build shared solutions around some of our guideline material including advanced SCADA, Drinking Water Sampling Data Guidelines and a Roadmap for Water Metering Development. We have developed a board game for the Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2026 that we hope will promote the importance of good asset data, systems and standards, and make for an engaging workshop. Building on the momentum from last year we are now strongly focused on developing the foundations that the sector needs to scale information management and digital delivery. 2025/26 has been an important period of regulatory change for the new water entities. This has created an urgent need to lift capability and close skill and knowledge gaps with practical tools and trusted sector guidance. This coming year we will expand communications, engagement and delivery across three core streams: •

Three Waters Asset Data Standards (3W ADS)

•

Digital Engineering

•

Smart Water/Smart Networks.

We continue to support the Three Waters Asset Data Standards programme. The 3W ADS workstream has successfully delivered V4.0 of the Asset Data Standard. This is being incorporated into the information systems of a range of councils and new water entities across Aotearoa New Zealand. The standards are also being implemented within other design solutions such as the Autodesk design suite. In addition, the 3W ADS team is supporting national guidance on developing process hierarchies. SWIG’s Digital Engineering workstream (established late 2025) has broadened participation from asset owners in several regions and is developing three practical guidelines/templates that include Asset Information Requirements, Exchange Information Requirements, and case studies. These guidelines are aligned to ISO 19650 and the NZ Digital Engineering/BIM Handbook, with Version 1 targeted for the end of November 2026. To grow reach and adoption, we are progressing a quarterly newsletter and webinar programme and will run a workshop at the Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2026 to showcase progress and encourage wider post-conference involvement. Looking ahead, SWIG will prioritise releasing the Digital Engineering and Information Management Playbook (v1), completing and socialising the ADS hierarchy work, expanding supply-chain engagement, and continuing webinars/events to lift digital literacy and practical implementation across the sector. Committee members: Farzam Farzadi, Andy Gaul, Quentin Griffiths, Mark Homenuke, Michael Howden, Christopher Miller, Greg Preston, Sam Repia, Eric Skowron, Nicolette Voskuilen, Harriet Bond, Steve Carne, Parvati Patel, Richard Fry, Jo Jo (Aung) Kyaw Kyaw, Pieter van Tonder.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Transformation 2050 Leading Water Transformation The future of Aotearoa New Zealand depends on healthy, resilient water systems. Over the next 25 years, we will face significant challenges and opportunities in the way water is managed and delivered. Delivering a sustainable water future, healthy environment and resilient communities will require transformational change across infrastructure, technology, governance and workforce capability. By placing Transformation 2050 at the heart of our strategic pillars, we are helping the sector navigate this change and seize opportunities to strengthen environmental, social and financial resilience.

Smart buyer: Productive, progressive, inclusive and sustainable climate-resilient procurement and delivery.

Workforce & education: Lifting sector capability and capacity.

Our seven themes across Transformation 2050 will help guide actions to underpin this strategic direction.

Towards 2050: Transformation vision for the water sector is available on our website waternz.org.nz/transformation

Planning and standards:

Water as a taonga:

Environment and climate:

Co-ordinated and consistent national policies facilitate locally led service delivery.

The health of water is put first, and its management informed by indigenous understanding.

Healthy waters sustain ecosystems, enrich environments, and underpin community and business wellbeing.

Digitally enabled: Trusted data and digital analytics enhance customer value.

People and community:

Communities are active participants in water management with safe, equitable and affordable water services for all.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Transformation 2050 focus areas – delivery through our strategic pillars Healthy water is at the heart of what we do. As we look ahead to the middle of this century, how we manage our water over the next two decades will be critical to the health and wellbeing of future generations.

Here we provide examples of some of the activities we undertook during the year to support and enhance the seven themes across Transformation 2050. More details on these and other activities are reported on in other sections of this review.

That’s why Transformation 2050 remains central to our strategic pillars and sets a clear direction to ensure physical, environmental, social and financial resilience.

Water as a taonga

Workforce & education

Smart buyer

Planning and standards

Digitally enabled

People and community

Environment and climate

Water Journal 10th IWA-ASPIRE and Water New Zealand Conference & Expo 2025 Stormwater Conference 2026 New cultural significance and importance of wai training module prepared for Matariki launch

1320 enrolments in digital training

Making every dollar count – smarter investment in water infrastructure podcast

Updating RMA national direction submission

Modelling symposium

Te Wiki o te reo Māori poster to celebrate and support Māori Language Week

New digital training courses including Economic regulation webinar – how Blue-Green Infrastructure, Erosion it impacts asset management and Sediment Control badges

Economic regulation – a financial lens webinar

Advanced water metering webinar

Resources for Local Body elections

Better disaster waste management planning to safeguard water resources webinar

Indigenous Forum at IWA-ASPIRE and Water New Zealand Conference 2025

Understanding new operator qualifications webinar

Two Pulse Surveys on the state of business

Information disclosure – submissions and webinars

SCADA – making data work for you – webinar

Firefighting water supplies submission

Chlorination of onsite wastewater – literature review webinar

Tāwara o te Wai podcast – the growing alignment of indigenous knowledge with western science

Scholarship programme continued

Water Directory

Private Land Access submission and webinar

3 Waters Asset Data Standards Version 4

Drinking water protection conference

Emerging contaminants to smart biofiltration

Where rivers begin – safeguarding our vanishing headwaters webinar

House of Science Wonderful Wai kits

Local Water Done Well preconference symposium on procurement

Authorisations – submissions and webinars

Enhancing cybersecurity submission

School water supplies digital badge

PFAS: Problems, persistence and perspectives webinar

Stream restoration webinar

Delivering an outstanding conference presentation webinar

Ring-fencing regulated water services

Data Visualisation tool

CareerWise platform helped build water jobs awareness

Embodied carbon case studies from NZ’s water sector – webinar

Stormwater Conference carbon offsetting – Rukumoana Marae Topehahae Stream and Wetland Restoration Project hui

Workforce – it’s the people webinar

Temporary traffic management guidelines and webinar

Accessing cutting edge research and innovation – leveraging UK learnings webinar

NCEA reform submission

Navigating climate challenges – case studies webinar

Stormwater Conference – Ed Ashby keynote presentation – Waitākere Ranges viewed through the lens of water and Te Kawerau ā Maki’s relationship with it

Backflow refresher course

Flood hazard modelling draft

From tap to tech – unlocking water sustainability webinar

Going for Housing Growth submission

Carbon Accounting & Emissions monitoring tools – expanded guideline

Te Mana o te Wai workstream at Stormwater conference

Continued involvement and support of Te te-tukohu-ngawha Matauranga Science fair

Local Water Done Well pre-conference symposium

Global perspective on advanced and metering infrastructure programmes

Young Water Professionals symposium at IWA ASPIRE and Water New Zealand Conference 2025

Land Treatment Guide – funded by Water New Zealand (in development)

Workforce

Advice and advocacy

Events

Relationships

Supported new ISB and launch of new operator qualifications

Wastewater Environmental Performance Standards technical review & revision advice

Water Governance Directors’ Handbook

Blue-Green Infrastructure digital badge

Onsite wastewater capability and training review

Carbon Accounting guideline webinar

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Outgoing Chair: Hannah Breeds Chair: Darren Tiddy The Stormwater Special Interest Group (SIG) brings together practitioners from across Aotearoa New Zealand to advance stormwater management through knowledge sharing, technical leadership, and sector collaboration. This year, we continued to operate across four workstreams: Engagement, Education and Training, Policy and Technical, and the Conference team. It has been a year of strong growth, high participation, and increased sector influence.

Engagement Regional engagement remained a priority, with a series of well-attended events held across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Ōtautahi Christchurch, Whakatū Nelson/Tasman and Manawatū. These meetings, alongside social events and an expanded events calendar, have strengthened local connections and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing.

Education and Training Education and capability building continued to gain momentum. Five technical webinars were delivered to more than 600 attendees, along with ongoing delivery of the Blue-Green Infrastructure course. Progress was also made on digital badges, including delivery of the Erosion and Sediment Control badge and development of a Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment badge.

Policy and Technical The Policy and Technical workstream had one of its busiest years to date, contributing to a range of Water New Zealand submissions and supporting Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai on stormwater matters. Work also progressed on guidance to support Stormwater Network Risk Management Plans in response to the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025. Some of the Policy and Technical team have also been contributing to the wider Policy and Regulatory Taskforce being established across Water New Zealand.

Stormwater Conference and Expo 2026 The conference was a highlight, attracting a record 799 delegates and exhibitors. Key themes reflected the evolving role of stormwater in climate adaptation and urban development, including nature-based solutions, climate resilience, water quality, funding and governance, and the integration of mātauranga Māori. A diverse keynote speaker line-up brought perspectives from iwi, local government, infrastructure and the legal sector, while the Future of Stormwater Governance panel highlighted the challenges and opportunities associated with sector reform. The conference also featured a strong innovation showcase, poster sessions, and multiple concurrent technical streams, demonstrating the depth and breadth of work under way across the sector. The event concluded with site visits, showcasing delivery of blue-green networks, catchment-scale interventions, and nature-based treatment systems in practice. We also strengthened our foundations through a refreshed committee structure, a new website, and an expanded Friends of the Committee network to support delivery of a growing work programme. Looking ahead, the focus will be on delivering national guidance, expanding regional engagement, growing training offerings, and supporting implementation of emerging regulatory requirements. Committee members: Darren Tiddy, Lisa Dowson, Hannah Breeds, Stephanie Dijkstra, Hannah Ludlow, Sarah Nolan, Linda Norman, Danny Klimetz, Jacob Northage, Kawal Singh, Uki Dele, Angela Pratt, Roanna Purcaru, Justine Bennett, Jack Thompson, Charlotte Arcus, David Delagarza, Bidara Pathirage.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Te Ama Aukaha te Wai WATER NEW ZEALAND

Outgoing Chair: Stephanie Djikstra Chair: Mereana Taungapeau Te Ama exists to uplift te ao Māori capability across the water sector, champion Te Mana o te Wai, and support meaningful, values-based relationships between water service providers and mana whenua. Our kaupapa is centred on embedding mātauranga Māori, tikanga, and iwi aspirations into water services planning, delivery, and governance.

Highlights this year included: •

Te Ama guides: Advancing the How To Guide for mana whenua engagement, with a draft outline now in place. We are actively identifying collaboration opportunities across the sector to ensure the guide is robust, practical, and widely supported.

•

Case studies and sector storytelling: We developed te ao Māori aligned case studies for the conference and Water journal, including biosolids engagement, fish passage, and iwi led environmental programmes.

•

Water journal contributions: Regular contributions sharing Māori perspectives, project highlights, and practical guidance for the sector.

•

Conference workshops and sector presentations: Delivered a bicultural design presentation at a regional meeting in Ōtautahi Christchurch, and currently developing a co-delivered workshop at the Water New Zealand Conference & Expo 2026 with the Climate Change special interest group (SIG).

•

Webinars and digital learning: Progressed development of a bicultural design webinar and supported integration of te ao Māori into the Blue Green Infrastructure course.

•

Cross SIG collaboration: Worked closely with Climate Change, Drinking Water Quality, Stormwater, and Wastewater SIGs to embed Māori perspectives into guidance, standards, and sector initiatives.

•

Wānanga: Held an online wānanga in November and confirmed dates and venue for the 2026 in-person wānanga for Te Ama and Rōpū Manaakī.

•

Training and capability: Supported Water New Zealand’s cultural capability uplift ensuring consistent Te Ama input into the development of PD modules.

Sector shifts and emerging issues: •

Growing demand for consistent, high-quality mana whenua engagement across water services.

•

Need for clearer, practical tools to support Te Mana o te Wai implementation in Water Services Strategies and Delivery Plans.

•

Increasing expectations for Māori involvement in monitoring, standards development, and environmental performance measures.

Committee members: Stephanie Djikstra, Mereana Taungapeau, Harley O’Hagan, Sarah Nolan, Kepa Morgan, Emily Afoa, Vicky Otene, Dave Neru, Brooke Waterson.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Wastewater

WATER NEW ZEALAND

Chair: Andy Gaul Our mission is to drive industry best practice for wastewater quality management and resource consent compliance in Aotearoa New Zealand. After our first year we are establishing ourselves as a group of wastewater professionals to collaborate with each other, provide relevant guidance for all questions related to wastewater and formalise those in papers, workshops or podcasts. While this has always been a pillar of Water New Zealand, the advent of other SIGs created a need to direct closer attention to wastewater. Our initial purpose was to provide a platform for wastewater professionals to share knowledge and work together to improve wastewater practices and the development and application of innovative methodologies and technology for effective treatment of liquid and solid discharges. We are now providing policy and technical advice to the Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai. This has developed into a trusted collaboration where open discussion is encouraged. We are working on lifting the general and professional perception of wastewater treatment, positioning it away from just an end-of-pipe “waste” solution towards its true potential as resource recovery plants integrated in a sustainable and circular economy where the environment is protected. This is being done through the work of the following subgroups.

Our workstream priorities are: •

Circular Economy – There are a range of products within wastewater that can be recovered and reused, and further opportunities along our supply chain. Our circular economy workstream is providing a focus for some of the opportunities that exist. We are collating these in a white paper to socialise and promote more circular practices including a cultural perspective. An article on the subject appeared in the Water journal.

•

Biosolids – We support increasing biosolids reuse to 75 percent by 2035. Currently, less than 20 percent of our biosolids go to high-value beneficial uses, despite the significant nutrient benefits they contain. This should be closer to 75 percent. Getting there by 2035 is possible with more advanced forms of treatment. In our podcast Tackling Microplastics – understanding the risks and solutions in biosolids (part of the Tāwara o te Wai series), we explored one area where thermal treatment processes will have a role to play. We recognise that significant uplift, involving many players, is needed to reach our goal. We are planning to host an event bringing the sector together later this year. We provided input into the Wastewater Environmental Performance Standards and are planning a webinar at the Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2026.

•

NEDS – We will review and provide advice on the application of the wastewater aspect of the National Engineering Design Standards (NEDS).

•

Wastewater Guidelines – We are working on general guidelines for those on the cusp of a career as wastewater professionals. This will cover basic information on the challenges of wastewater treatment and show the processes needed to achieve the standards defined in the WEPS as well as potential solutions and visions for wastewater.

•

Public Engagement – We are summarising the work done nationally by different councils and developing draft public engagement material for everybody. One suggestion is to engage in a webinar and then publish material.

As a group, we are working closely with other SIGs and are thankful for the interaction we have had with the Te Ama Aukaha te Wai. Committee members: Andy Gaul, Dave Neru, Andrew Springer, Chris French, Azam Khan, Chris Kinley, Sarah Sunich, David Romilly, John Crawford, Andrew Deutschle, Daniel Hishon, Ramsay Huang, Iain Peffers, Nanne de Haan, Simon Mason, Gavin Sole.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Chair: Julian Fyfe The Water Efficiency and Conservation Network’s purpose is to enable collaboration and knowledge sharing across the Aotearoa New Zealand water industry and develop tools and practices for managing water demand. We advocate for an integrated approach to water resource planning that gives equal weight to demand and supply-side measures for securing water supplies. We also seek to build a cultural ethos among the wider community that sees water as a taonga and supports the principles of Te Mana o te Wai. In the 2025-26 year, we ran three webinars, a regional event and a workshop at the Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2025. We issued two newsletters, published three pieces in the Water journal and made a submission to the Firefighting Water Supplies Code of Practice.

Events highlights In August 2025, we ran the Waikato Water Metering Knowledge Exchange regional event in Kirikiriroa Hamilton. With Waikato Waters and IAWAI – Flowing Waters setting up as new water services organisations, and only half the districts within their service areas universally metered, the event provided an opportunity for sharing knowledge, experience and research related to customer metering. September saw two more webinars. The first was about raising awareness of the wealth of resources on water loss management that have been generated from UK innovation funds and are accessible through the UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) body. The second brought together two young water professionals to talk about their experiences in water efficiency and smart meter data research. At the Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2025, we ran a workshop titled Non-Residential Water Efficiency: Engaging with High Water Use Customers. The presentations, Q&A sessions and participant activities were captured in a summary published in the Water journal.

Research We continued to support the master’s research project Unlocking Patterns in Residential Water Use: A Data-Driven Approach with Smart Meters that is collaboratively funded by Water New Zealand and University of Auckland. WE CAN chair Julian Fyfe was the industry adviser to the student doing the research, Rory Hammond. Over the past year, Rory collated data from several water service providers across Aotearoa New Zealand and has been undertaking detailed analysis to characterise residential consumption and leakage.

IWA Water Efficiency Conference In September 2025, Julian was awarded a travel scholarship from Water New Zealand to attend the International Water Association’s Water Efficiency Conference in Melbourne. Julian gave a presentation on non-residential customer water efficiency opportunity assessments and wrote about his observations and experiences in an article for the Water journal.

Industry guidance and support A subgroup of our members has been assisting with the development of an industry paper that provides guidance to water service providers on the planning and delivery of customer metering programmes. The paper is being written by Martyn Cole of Water Advance with peer review and oversight from us. It is intended to complement existing published metering guidance documents. The paper will be a branded as a Water New Zealand-WECAN resource and will be launched at the Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2026. We have also engaged with the Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai on building industry capability in water loss reporting and management. Discussion is ongoing about how we could provide support for identifying the needs of the sector and how to address them. Most recently, deputy chair Dan Johnson made a formal submission to the consultation process for the newly drafted Firefighting Water Supplies Code of Practice. His feedback highlighted a central concern for the broader water sector: fire flow requirements must be balanced against affordable, efficient, and sustainable network management. Implications for network pressure management were raised as a significant issue from a water efficiency and conservation perspective.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Planning Our AGM was held in December 2025. We will continue to look at changing our name and terms of reference over the coming year as we seek to better reflect the breadth of our technical remit and enhance our profile. The group also agreed to establish the role of deputy chair and form four new workstreams: •

Progressing a demand management framework for Aotearoa New Zealand, led by Julian Fyfe

•

Valuing Water and Water Literacy Community of Practice, led by Julie Clarke

•

Supporting the rollout of customer metering across Aotearoa New Zealand, led by Maryam Moridnejad

•

Building water loss management capability, led by Dan Johnson.

We currently have members from various organisations, including councils, consulting firms and contracting businesses across the sector. Committee members: Julian Fyfe, Daniel Johnson, Maryam Moridnejad, Evan Atkinson, Jenny Wigley, Renee Coutts, Christine McCormack, Eric Skowron, Roger Adlam, Heinz Jacobs, Michelle Templeton, Megan Hamilton, Julie Clarke.

This year we created a set of new roles within the SIG structure to allow YWPs to interact with leaders in their area of interest while directly contributing to SIG activities. The new YWP SIG liaison position is aimed at giving young professionals an opportunity to meet and work with people doing the exciting and interesting projects that are moving us forward in technical, leadership, and engagement areas. There are three main regional YWP groups – Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Te Whanganuia-Tara Wellington, and Ōtautahi Christchurch – and a new North Island East Coast group formed in February.

YWP–CIWEM Collaboration to Build Presentation Skills In July, the Young Water Professionals collaborated with CIWEM at events held in the three centres to provide early-career professionals with the opportunity to gain presentation experience in a supportive environment. Each speaker received one-on-one feedback from senior industry professionals to help them refine their presentation skills. Prizes included entry to the 10th IWA-ASPIRE Conference and Water New Zealand Conference & Expo 2025 and access to a CIWEM online training course.

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland highlights Chair: Urshula Johnson July 2025 – Lifecycle of a Project, hosted by Watercare This event provided a comprehensive overview of the full project lifecycle, from planning through to operation. Speakers from Watercare, Beca, Fulton Hogan, and Hynds shared insights from the Wesley Stage 2 project, highlighting the challenges encountered across different phases and how they were addressed. December 2025 – Quiz Night and Networking, hosted by Jacobs This end-of-year event brought young professionals together for a relaxed evening of networking and engagement. The quiz night provided an informal platform to strengthen industry connections, share experiences, and celebrate the year’s achievements. February 2026 – PS64 Site Visit (Ōrākei Sewage Pump Station), hosted by Watercare This site visit offered insight into a critical component of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s wastewater network. Attendees learned about the station’s role in the Eastern Interceptor, its capacity to manage flows and provide storm resilience, and engineering features including deep wet wells, high-capacity pumps, and advanced control systems. May 2026 – Sustainability and Resilience Panel, hosted by Auckland YWP and The Infrastructure Collective at Aurecon This panel brought together industry leaders to discuss sustainability and resilience challenges across the infrastructure sector. Discussions focused on embedding sustainability across the project lifecycle, responding to climate change impacts, and the need for a broader shift towards a wellbeing-focused approach. The event provided valuable insights and opportunities for professional connection. Committee members: Jai Han, Kelly Cokorudy, Nikhil Susarla, Urshula Johnson, Conor Gyde, Aaron Dhadii, Alana Warrington, Maya Stenning, Mahalakshmi Kalyansundar.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington highlights Co-chairs: Amy MacIntyre and Sheena O’Brien Winter Waterfront Walk, guided by Stu Farrant The YWP Winter Waterfront Walk brought together young professionals for an engaging and informative evening exploring the history and future of Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington’s urban waterways. Stu provided insights into the ecological significance of local streams and the impacts of urban development, while offering a relaxed setting for networking. Plans for next year include experimenting with less traditional networking formats to encourage participation from different groups such as contractors, councils and iwi, as well as consultants. Planned events include site visits and volunteering Committee members: Amy MacIntyre, Sheena O’Brien, Lauren Carter, Skye Ashcroft, Olivia Calvert, Dominic Pranjoto, Tyler Casey.

Ōtautahi Christchurch highlights Chair: Bradley Jervis December: End-of-Year Social Night We wrapped up the year in style at Craft Embassy in Ōtautahi Christchurch, with thanks to Water New Zealand for sponsoring a relaxed evening of catching up, meeting new faces, and celebrating a solid year together.

ASPIRE IWA & YWP NZ Online Meeting We kicked off the new year with a joint ASPIRE IWA and YWP NZ online event, connecting participants from across Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia. Keynote speakers dug into the big challenges facing the water industries on both sides of the Tasman – a great chat about where things are heading.

Themed Quiz Night, hosted at Beca In May, we put our brains to the test at a quiz night. There was plenty of networking, some new mates, and good fun all round.

The year ahead Plans are under way for a presentation event at the University of Canterbury, titled Where a Career in Water Could Take You. It will feature a lineup of speakers sharing their experiences with the goal of bringing fresh university talent into the water industry. We’re hoping to line up another site visit over summer as part of the many great learning and networking opportunities on the horizon. Committee members: Bradley Jervis, Ariana Wilks, Daeniel Quiambao, Emily Molloy, Jess Davidson.

North Island East Coast Group Chair: Alex Horne The North Island East Coast Young Water Professionals group formed in February 2026 to bring YWPs together at a time of significant sector change, and in a region outside of Aotearoa New Zealand’s main centres. We have had two meetings and we are currently formalising chair and co-chair roles and planning regional events for later in 2026. As soon as practical, committee members will survey Water New Zealand members in our area to see what events, training, and experiences may help YWPs.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Other groups

Rivers Group Formed collaboratively by Engineering New Zealand and Water New Zealand in 2009, the Rivers Group is a technical group for members from both organisations with an interest in the operational and environmental management of catchments and river systems. This year there were two Stormwater and Rivers Group co-hosted events •

Ōtepoti Dunedin, August 2025

•

Nelson, November 2025

NZ Lifelines Council In November, we represented the water sector in a Reporting a National Space Weather Preparedness exercise – Tahu-nui-a-Rangi. This was a NEMA-led national resilience event that involved lifeline utilities and sector coordinating entities. Its aim was to enhance AOG (all of government) operational readiness by practising the National Space Weather Response Plan. Water New Zealand has been contributing to the National Vulnerabilities Assessment Report.

Water mains renewals, Whakatāne 2026, Photo credit: Whakatāne District Council.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Events

The must-attend events programme

Our events programme continues to connect the sector, enabling collaboration, knowledge sharing, and professional development across the motu. This year we achieved record attendances and delivered our largest programme to date. From conferences and regional forums to special interest group sessions, both in-person and online, our events support practical learning and sector capability. Our events respected tikanga and Treaty of Waitangi obligations of partnership to ensure respectful engagement and diversity. Conference exhibitions remained a hub for innovation, showcasing emerging technologies and bringing suppliers and clients together. Together, this work supports our commitment to Transformation 2050 and a sustainable, resilient water future for Aotearoa.

10th IWA-ASPIRE Conference and Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2025 Empowering tomorrow – Smart water solutions for resilient communities We partnered with the International Water Association (IWA) to deliver the joint IWA-ASPIRE Water New Zealand Conference & Expo 2025 – bringing delegates from about 50 countries to Aotearoa New Zealand. This major event was the culmination of nine years of planning, including a two-year Covid delay, then, due to construction delays, a late venue change from the NZICC in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland to Ōtautahi Christchurch. Despite the challenges, the conference was a big success – from the record-breaking number of delegates to the quality of keynote and technical presentations, workshops and networking opportunities. It drew outstanding feedback from our members and our international colleagues. “Excellent event and was great to see such a big increase in attendance. The IWA combined was brilliant.” “A hugely positive expo and beneficial to our sales and marketing.” “If every person leaves... with one new idea, then that’s a success.” – Water New Zealand Chief Executive Gillian Blythe

Water New Zealand President Tim Gibson addresses delegates at the conference.

Te Pae Convention Centre in Ōtautahi proved to be an outstanding venue for an international event.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Stormwater Conference 2026 – Another record-breaker This year, the annual Stormwater Conference and Expo, held in May in Tāmaki Makarau Auckland marked a significant milestone as our biggest stormwater conference to date, bringing together 799 delegates and exhibitors. Under the theme Stormwater is a taonga: Managing challenges and opportunities, the conference highlighted the growing recognition of stormwater as an integral part of healthy ecosystems and resilient communities, particularly as Aotearoa New Zealand adapts to the increasing impacts of climate change. Throughout the programme, industry leaders, practitioners and researchers explored how technical innovation, mātauranga Māori, nature-based approaches, and community-centred solutions can work together to address complex water management challenges. Discussions reinforced the importance of taking a holistic approach to stormwater management – one that balances environmental, social, cultural, and economic outcomes. While extreme weather events continue to have significant impacts, the conference reinforced the knowledge that thoughtful planning, decision-making, and cultural change can strengthen community resilience. See more under Reports from our Special Interest Groups – Stormwater (p.26).

Powhiri from Ngāti Whātua Ōraki opened the Stormwater conference 2026.

Stormwater 2026 – biggest stormwater conference to date.

Modelling Symposium – Ōtautahi Christchurch This symposium highlighted the strength and growth of Aotearoa New Zealand’s water modelling community. Across two days, more than 100 participants explored advancements in water supply, wastewater, stormwater, flood modelling, and emerging technologies such as AI and digital twins. A central theme was the challenge of translating complex modelling into practical insights for decision makers. Presentations emphasised the importance of high-quality data, collaboration, and ensuring modelling outputs are accessible and usable for councils, boards, iwi, and communities. The integration of diverse knowledge systems reinforced the need for locally relevant, equitable solutions and positioned modelling as a “guardrail” for managing future uncertainty. Site visits and workshops connected theory to practice, showcasing Ōtautahi Christchurch’s water and wastewater infrastructure, flood management schemes, and hands-on modelling tools.

Modellers had a chance to see theories in practice during site visits.

Workshops and presentations emphasised the importance of high quality modelling.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Drinking Water Protection Conference 2025 By the Water New Zealand Backflow Group The Drinking Water Protection Conference, held in August 2025, brought together 56 delegates from across councils, government, industry, and regulatory organisations, along with representatives from Australia’s Backflow Prevention Association. Over two days, the programme included 19 presentations and practical training sessions, backed by six industry sponsors and strong participation from senior leaders across the sector. The event provided a great opportunity for sharing knowledge, building skills, and strengthening connections, reinforcing its role as a key forum for improving drinking water safety and backflow prevention in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Reducing our carbon footprint through offsetting Despite our best endeavours, we know that running conferences has unavoidable environmental impacts. Travel generates the bulk of our carbon emissions. In 2025, we offset our carbon emissions from the Stormwater Conference by supporting a local water restoration project and we intend to do that again for our 2026 conference. Last year, funding from our carbon offsets went towards the costs of a hui at Rukumoana Marae. The hui, held in February, brought together Ngāti Haua iwi, local stakeholders, and experts to shape a vision for restoring the degraded Topehahae stream in the Waikato. We are currently looking at options for our 2026 offsets. Difficulties in calculating carbon offsets for an international event meant we were unable to offset the IWA-ASPIRE and Water New Zealand Conference & Expo 2025 but we will offset carbon emissions for our upcoming conference in September.

Outstanding Business Event Win at The Bizzies The successful 20-year partnership between Water New Zealand and Avenues Event Management was recognised at The Bizzies – the inaugural Business Events Awards – where we won the Outstanding Business Event Partnership Award 2025.

From the left, Water New Zealand chief executive Gillian Blythe, award sponsor Dan Botherway from Exhibition Hire Services, and Melanie Walker managing director Avenues Event Management.

Regional connections meetings These meetings were a key part of our membership approach – bringing members together outside of the main centres to meet, network, and discuss updates from across the sector. We held meetings and breakfast events in Hawke’s Bay, Dunedin, New Plymouth, Christchurch, Queenstown, Tauranga and Wellington.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Relationships

The water community you want to be a part of Building and maintaining strong connections across the water sector, key influencers, and the wider environment remained a key focus this year. We continued to ensure we understood and responded to the needs of our members and the wider sector. Through our special interest groups, conferences, and events, along with ongoing engagement with government, NGOs, and emerging water service providers, we continued to strengthen those relationships and support sector collaboration. Our awards and scholarship programmes continued to attract high-quality applicants, reflecting strong sector capability and commitment. We continued building relationships with iwi, including through the incorporation and sharing of mātauranga Māori at our conferences and events. With the implementation of Local Water Done Well and the establishment of new water entities, it was critical to maintain our role as a trusted conduit for communication between members, communities, and government. Key relationships included engagement with regulators such as The Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai, the Commerce Commission, and the Department of Internal Affairs.

Water Chief Executives Forum This year we established the Water Chief Executives Forum, led by Watercare CE Jamie Sinclair. The forum is aimed at helping share knowledge across the sector, supporting the successful implementation of the Local Water Done Well programme alongside enabling efficient, affordable, and sustainable water infrastructure investment and operations over time. In particular, it brings Water CEs together with government and regulators to share leadership practices, coordinate priorities, and collaborate on initiatives that strengthen procurement, improve supply chain resilience, and provide greater certainty for the sector.

Water Chair Forum This was a new platform for chairs and leaders of emerging water service organisations to share knowledge and collaborate on common challenges. The inaugural meeting was held in April and discussions focused on sharing lessons in setting up new organisations. This reinforces our strategic role as a sector convenor in facilitating collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and engagement.

Meeting Government and Opposition Members We continued to engage with political leaders from both Government and opposition parties. This year we met Local Government Minister Simon Watts, Tertiary Education Minister Penny Simmonds, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka, Labour opposition spokesperson Kieran McAnulty, Act MP Simon Court and Quilae Wong from the Opportunity Party. Hon Simon Watts spoke at the July Water Utilities Association meeting in Wellington. We continued discussions with representatives from key government agencies such as the Department of Internal Affairs, the Ministry for the Environment and local government representatives, along with the new water entities.

Regulatory Authorities This was a particularly busy year on the regulatory calendar with the ongoing development of new legislation and rules. Ensuring successful and workable outcomes under the Local Water Done Well policy framework was a key objective of Water New Zealand. Throughout the year we maintained strong relationships with the regulatory authorities, the Water Services Regulator – Taumata Arowai and the Commerce Commission as well as the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA).

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Representatives from the regulatory organisations spoke at our conferences, and in webinars and podcasts as well as our Water Utilities Association and Water Services Managers Group meetings. We also held two joint board meetings with The Water Services Authority Taumata Arowai. Ensuring the sector’s voice is reflected in the development of the authorisations framework remained a priority. To support this, we actively participated in a joint working group with Taumata Arowai and the Department of Internal Affairs, helping shape a practical and effective framework for the sector. Another significant focus this year was the development of the Wastewater Environmental Performance Standards. Our members, particularly those involved in the Wastewater Special Interest Group, made a valuable contribution to Water New Zealand’s submissions and engagement and subsequently worked with Taumata Arowai on amendments and guidance. This helped to ensure the standards are informed by expertise and sector experience.

WSMG and WUA The Water Utilities Association and Water Services Managers Groups are key strategic groups for Water New Zealand, providing the board and staff with direct access to the operational and executive leaders responsible for delivering water services.

WUA meetings 17 July – Wellington 21 August – online 26 November – Wellington

The WUA provides guidance on significant policy matters and the WSMG brings together operational leaders to support the development of technical guidance, research and best practice, while identifying emerging issues before they become national problems.

February – online

Throughout the year, the WSMG and WUA strengthened connections between councils, regulators and the water sector, facilitating constructive engagement with the DIA and Taumata Arowai on service delivery planning, regulatory implementation, economic regulation, infrastructure resilience, workforce challenges, and the transition to new water service delivery models.

27 November – Wellington

March – Wellington 16 May – online

WSMG meetings 2 June – online 9 March – Wellington

In March, more than 60 members took part in a joint WSMG/WUA meeting in Wellington, sharing ideas around data visualisation and identifying future priorities. Members were also updated on new drinking water rule changes and authorisations and many took the opportunity to visit the Te Marua Water Treatment Plant. In July, WUA members met with Taumata Arowai representatives to discuss performance, emerging trends, strengths and concerns and implications for future regulation and compliance.

Scholarships Programme We had a good response to our scholarship programme launched last year. The programme aims to build sector capability and capacity through supporting members to develop new skills and expertise. It also aims to develop current and future leaders, promote professional development through attendance at training programmes, conferences and other learning opportunities, and to foster best practice and new connections. These scholarships – spanning leadership, travel, and technical development – have been actively promoted, with recipients recognised and celebrated to highlight the value of professional growth.

2026 scholarship recipients Bronwyn Humphries – United States National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA) – online training Jim Graham – IWA 14th Micropol and Ecohazard Conference – Toronto Helen Rutter – Singapore International Water Week Maryam Moridnejad – IWA World Water Congress and Expo – Glasgow Ariana Wilks – Water New Zealand Stormwater Conference 2026 Hannah Ludlow – Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2026 Stephen Wright – Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2026 “I am sincerely grateful to Water New Zealand for sponsoring my attendance through the Water New Zealand Scholarship. As an emerging professional in the stormwater space, it was a valuable experience to expand my technical knowledge and reinforced my commitment to community-centred, nature-aligned stormwater practice here in Ōtautahi.” Ariana Wilks, stormwater engineer

NgāTypes Momo UA of Rain Hineteihorangi

Celestial tear drop

Wainuiatea

Expanse of water in the sky

Ranginui

Sky father

Kapua

Cloud

Hinewai

Uira

Atua of rain

Lightning

Āniwaniwa

Whatitiri

Rainbow

Huru a te rangi Atua of winds

Āwhā

Storm

Thunder

Pata ua

Raindrops

Ua kōnehunehu

Kōpatapata

Drizzle

Light rain

Tawhirimātea

Puaheiri

Huka Waitara

Snow

Hail

Waiwaha

Sleet

Rain

Tūāua

Atua of winds

UA hūkerikeri Violent rain

Shower

Waitōtā

Tukuwai

Condensation

Transpiration

Pūkohu Mist

Whakaeto

Evaporation

Tauraki

Drought

Haukū Dew

Waipuke

Kōpuapua

Temporary pools of water

Ka ora te wai,

If the water is healthy,

ka ora te whenua,

the land is healthy,

ka ora ngā tāngata

the people are healthy

Scan to explore Ngā Momo Ua further

Flood

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori E heke ana te ua, E rere ana te reo – Celebrating 50 Years of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (14–20 Mahuru/September 2025) For the eighth year running, we produced our annual Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori poster. This year it was the 50th anniversary of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week), held from 14–20 Mahuru/September 2025. Our poster was titled Ngā Momo Ua – the types of rain. The kaupapa invited people to engage with te reo and te ao Māori through the lens of one of our most life-giving forces: wai. By naming and describing rain through te reo, the poster aimed to support language revitalisation in a meaningful and grounded context. It invited people to learn new kupu, to speak them, and to see the world through them.

Sector Overview: Water Services Delivery Plan Data Visualisation To support better planning and investment decisions, we developed a dashboard suite that transforms Water Services Delivery Plan data into clear, accessible sector insights. The dashboards were built from publicly available information, and present complex data in a structured, easy-to-navigate format that will improve transparency and accessibility for decision-makers. They provide clear and concise information around infrastructure needs, investment priorities and implementation progress to help councils, regulators and industry stakeholders benchmark performance and collaborate more effectively.

Collaboration across the wider sector IWA – International Water Association – see more in Events section (p.33) SETAC and ACTRA At the August 2025 SETAC (Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry) Australasia and ACTRA (Australasian College of Toxicology and Risk Assessment) Conference, Building a lasting legacy: Our choice, their future, Water New Zealand’s technical lead – drinking water quality and education, Belinda Cridge, led a pre-conference discussion. Topics covered toxicology determination, exposure assessment and regulatory limits. This was a premier event for environmental science, toxicology and risk assessment professionals.

Infrastructure New Zealand study tour of UK Gillian Blythe joined a group of colleagues from across the infrastructure sector on a study tour of the UK. The trip was timed to coincide with the British Water Conference, which focused on a theme of collaboration and innovation. Key lessons for Aotearoa New Zealand were: •

Regulatory clarity, long-term investment pipelines and strong alignment across agencies are essential to build investor confidence and mobilise supply chains.

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Standardisation, digitisation and early engagement with delivery partners can significantly lift efficiency and reduce risk.

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Achieving environmental outcomes will depend on catchment-scale planning, better data and meaningful integration of nature-based solutions. Above all, culture and collaboration, not just engineering, will determine success.

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Customer trust is vital. Without transparency, engagement and demonstrable progress, the social licence required to fund and deliver future investment will not exist.

CIWEM We continued to engage with CIWEM (Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management) through collaborative professional development and networking initiatives, including the CIWEM/YWP (Young Water Professionals) Presentation Series, supporting emerging water professionals and joint regional events that strengthen industry connections and knowledge sharing.

German-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce Gillian Blythe spoke at the Resilient Waters Conference, hosted by the German–New Zealand Chamber of Commerce (GNZCC). The event brought together German investors and water sector leaders from Aotearoa New Zealand for a high-level forum aimed at connecting German companies with the water sector here.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Water Governance – Directors’ Handbook In collaboration with Simpson Grierson, we developed the handbook to provide directors’ of water organisations with a practical overview of their governance responsibilities in relation to water services (water supply, wastewater, and stormwater services). It is also intended as a useful resource for councillors and independent directors’ of water committees who provide governance and oversight of in-house service delivery.

Indigenous presentations and workstreams at conference The IWA-ASPIRE and Water New Zealand Conference & Expo 2025 showcased Aotearoa New Zealand’s leadership in indigenous water management, with workshops and plenary sessions on governance, kaitiakitanga, mātauranga Māori and community resilience. The programme brought together Māori, First Nations and indigenous leaders from Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and Canada to explore how indigenous knowledge and Western science can work together to support resilient water futures. Key speakers included: Professor Te Maire Tau and Gabrielle Huria (Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Aotearoa New Zealand); Susheel Arora, Atlantic First Nations Water Authority (Canada); Susan Chiblow (Anishinaabe, Canada); Nina Braid, Yarra Valley Water (Australia); Phil Duncan (Gomeroi Nation, Australia).

Nina Braid

Ozwater – Our water. Our tomorrow. Gillian attended the annual AWA (Australian Water Association) conference in May. As the title suggests, many of the discussions centred on the water legacy we’re leaving for future generations. Key themes highlighted ongoing water challenges in Australia, including climate variability, population growth, and increasing demands for water security, quality, and environmental standards. Speakers emphasised the evolving role of water professionals as educators and leaders, the need for innovation, and greater transparency in decision-making.

WaterAid Australia We continued to promote WaterAid activities through regular articles in the Water journal and Gillian was a leader in its annual Walk for Water fundraising campaign.

Tāwara o te Wai Podcast series This year, nine podcasts were recorded and released. Key issues covered were water sector governance, flooding, indigenous values and smarter investment in water infrastructure. The content continues to build a steady and engaged audience with more than 400 followers, reflecting ongoing interest in in-depth, sector-focused content.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Mainstream media We continued our media presence through media releases, expanding the reach of the Water journal, responding to media requests for interviews, and supplying journalists with background information. Key messaging in mainstream media supported our agreed strategic talking points, in particular: •

Current water challenges are long-term, system-wide, and require coordinated investment and stronger accountability.

•

Decades of underinvestment, complex system pressures, and fragmented responsibility have led to the current infrastructure deficit.

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We now have access to better data, stronger regulation, and reform frameworks enabling more informed decision-making and long-term planning.

•

Water literacy will be vital as many communities receive water bills for the first time and greater understanding ensures better decisions around water use.

Our media monitoring shows Water New Zealand was referenced 155 times across digital news monitoring platforms.

More new records set – membership and social media followers LinkedIn

Water Directory

LinkedIn has continued to grow as a key channel for sector engagement and visibility, reaching 16,000 followers (+2,300 over the period). Content achieved strong reach, with more than 807,000 post impressions across the year.

This year, the focus for the Water Directory was on building awareness and increasing engagement through targeted digital campaigns, particularly via LinkedIn. This approach successfully drove strong growth in website traffic and user activity, helping position the directory as a go to resource for connecting with trusted water sector suppliers and expertise.

Water New Zealand Jobs Board The Water New Zealand Jobs Board experienced strong yearon-year growth in FY26, with views increasing to more than 9000 – that’s up more than 50 percent – and use up to 6000, a gain of 130 percent, and engagement has grown by more than 90 percent. The growth across all metrics demonstrates the increasing value of the Job Board as a trusted recruitment resource for the water sector, providing greater visibility for employers and connecting more candidates with industry opportunities.

Pipeline Newsletter engagement has steadily improved since early 2025. Open rates are consistently sitting around 28-29 percent, with the first quarter of 2026 reaching a 29.31 percent average. Subscriber numbers have also grown significantly (up 39 percent), while maintaining healthy engagement levels.

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Board members appointed This year Water New Zealand welcomed elected officer Stephen Burton to the board. Stephen replaces former president, Lorraine Kendrick, who retired by rotation. We thank Lorraine for her valuable contribution to the board.

Water New Zealand Board

President – Tim Gibson

President-elect – Priyan Perera

Elected officer – Bruce Balaei

Elected officer – David Hogg

Appointed officer – Soltice Morrison

Appointed officer – Suzanne Naylor

Appointed officer – Paddy McNamara

Elected officer – Stephen Burton

WATER NEW ZEALAND 2026 ANNUAL REVIEW

Gillian Blythe – Chief Executive Belinda Cridge – Technical Lead – Drinking Water Quality & Education Pip Donnelly – Membership Administrator/Office Manager Michelle Davies – Accounts Administrator Katrina Guy – Internal Events & Logistics Co-ordinator Debra Harrington – Communications Manager Debbie Laing – Advertising Manager Caroline Lewin – Executive Assistant & Association Secretary Tega Ogbuigwe – Technical Lead – Policy and Regulatory Mumtaz Parker – Head of Corporate Services Ally Reid – Administration and Training Support Frances Sheriff – Marketing Lead Susan Willis – Technical Lead – Projects and Sustainability

Water New Zealand Staff