About Us / Who We Are / Our Community Charter

Our community charter

Community Charter

Tiaki Wai cares for the water from source to sea and cares for the people in our community who rely on water.

Tiaki Wai is your publicly owned water services organisation. We recognise water as a public good and manage it for the benefit of all.

Safety and quality

We are committed to supplying safe, good quality drinking water.
We operate wastewater systems to protect public health and te taiao (the natural environment).
We manage stormwater with a commitment to continuous improvement in environmental performance, supported by future investment and system improvements.
See our Service Performance Measures and Targets.

Respect and integrity

We respect all cultures, communities and perspectives.
We protect your privacy and handle your information responsibly.
We act fairly, honestly and transparently.

Service and responsiveness

We make it easy to contact us.
We listen and respond promptly.
We work to resolve faults as efficiently as possible and communicate clearly if circumstances change.

Engagement and partnership

We involve and seek feedback from the communities we serve, iwi (tribes) and Māori organisations in shaping our services.
We help communities value wai as taonga (treasure) and support wise water use.

Environmental protection

We uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi and te mana o te wai.
We make decisions that protect and enhance te mauri o te wai.
We plan and invest responsibly to safeguard future generations.
Supporting local communities
We aim to support local employment, training, procurement and workforce development.
We commit to paying at least the Living Wage.

Further information and supporting policies

This Community Charter is supported by more detailed information and policies. These documents are kept up to date and provide additional detail on how our services work in practice.

You can find information about:

Service performance measures and targets – the performance measures and target levels of service for each of the three waters services.
Complaints process and dispute resolution – how to raise a concern, what to expect, and how to access independent dispute resolution.
Water charges and pricing – how water charges are set, our approach to pricing, and the published list of current water services charges.

Reporting a fault or issue – how to report faults, leaks, outages or overflows, and the typical steps we follow to resolve them.
Support for those facing financial hardship – how Tiaki Wai supports residential customers who cannot pay, the types of assistance available, and how Tiaki Wai will ensure assistance is fair, consistent and respectful.
Tiaki Wai Water Services Strategy – our long-term approach to delivering safe, reliable and sustainable water services, including how we engage with people and communities.

These resources are available on our website or can be provided via email on request.

This Charter is guided by the principles of our shareholder councils and mana whenua partners.It will be reviewed in January 2027 to ensure it reflects any changes in our services and supporting policies as we become fully established.

It will continue to be reviewed regularly to meet the needs of our communities and reflects our statutory obligations, shareholder expectations, and our ongoing commitment to te mana o te wai.

Our service commitments

Planned works and outages

We will:

Provide information in advance about planned interruptions so people can prepare.
Explain why the work is needed and provide updates on progress.

Unplanned outages and emergencies

We will:

Respond to unplanned outages and faults based on risk, impact, and urgency.
Provide updates about what has happened and what you can expect next.
Prioritise vulnerable or medically dependent people.

Wastewater overflows and stormwater events

We will:

Manage wastewater overflows to reduce risks to people and the environment.
Work to minimise environmental and public health impacts.
Provide information on the event, risks, impacts, and next steps.

See our Service Performance Measures and Targets, and information on how to report a fault or issue.

Your rights and responsibilities

You have the right to:

Safe and reliable water services.
Clear and accessible information.
Fair treatment and respect.
Protection of your personal information.
Support if you face financial hardship.
A complaints process that is fair, transparent and easy to use.

Your responsibilities are:

Use water responsibly.
Report issues such as leaks, blockages or hazardous discharges.
Look after the pipes and water fittings on your property that you own.
Provide safe access for our teams when required.
Pay your water services bills when they are due or contact us early if you need support.
Keep your contact details up to date.

Access to essential services

Water services are essential. We will not disconnect water services due to financial hardship.
We will offer support if you are experiencing temporary financial hardship.
We consider the impact of charges on households when making decisions.

Complaints, feedback and dispute resolution

We welcome feedback and are committed to resolving issues quickly.

If you have a concern or complaint:

Contact us by phone, email or in writing.
We will acknowledge your complaint and explain the next steps in our process.
We will keep you informed throughout the process.

If we cannot resolve your complaint, you can contact Utilities Disputes on 0800 22 33 40 or go to www.udl.co.nz.

Utilities Disputes is a free, fair and independent service for resolving complaints about utilities providers.

Read more about our Complaints Process and Dispute Resolution.

Our Significance and Engagement Policy outlines how we engage with our communities, iwi and Māori organisations to understand your needs and expectations.

Value for money and transparent pricing

We set charges in an open and transparent way.

You can expect:

Clear explanations of how water charges are set.
Annual publication of all water services charges in an accessible format.
Fair and transparent pricing, including clear communication about the direction toward more uniform charging approaches.

You can contact Tiaki Wai directly for all billing and customer service enquiries.

While we are setting up new customer billing and support systems, councils will be providing behind the scenes interim support.

See our Pricing Policy for more detail.