Watercare is New Zealand’s largest water utility, supplying safe water to Auckland’s communities and treating their wastewater. Achieving our ambition to deliver world-leading water and wastewater services Aucklanders trust, now and for generations to come, requires a commitment to genuine and proactive engagement.

High quality, consistent and proactive engagement will be critical for Watercare to achieve its strategic objectives, supporting the delivery of safe, reliable core services now and into the future. This Community Engagement Framework has been developed to support this strategic ambition, and in particular to support our Enterprise Strategy – Delivering Smarter. Together.

Watercare engages to strengthen relationships, improve decision-making, minimise adverse impacts, create shared value and maintain the trust and confidence of the communities it serves. Effective engagement supports Watercare’s social licence to operate by ensuring that the needs, experiences and aspirations of communities are understood and considered throughout planning, delivery and operation of water infrastructure.

Significance and Engagement Policy

The Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025 (the Act) requires Watercare to develop and adopt a Significance and Engagement Policy. This will help to ensure that we engage appropriately with consumers, communities, iwi, key stakeholders and our shareholder, Auckland Council.

Click to view our Significance and Engagement Policy