Three Waters debate

Three Waters debate "drowned out" the urgent need for safe drinking water - scientists

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-12-02 00:01

New Zealand

Photo by Imani on Unsplash

Debate around the proposed Three Waters reforms has mostly focused on anti-co-governance arguments, and concerns around the loss of local control of water infrastructure. In a Viewpoint article, public health researchers say this has overshadowed the original reason for the reforms, one of which is to ensure safe, good quality drinking water is available for all. They say the consequences of water contamination in New Zealand is disproportionately felt by smaller and more deprived communities, which in the latter case are often disproportionately Māori.

Media release

From: Pasifika Medical Association Group

The current management of water services in Aotearoa is inadequate to protect public health and is economically inefficient. Three Waters reforms will facilitate better public health surveillance, water service provision and infrastructure upgrades. Concerns around co-governance, privatisation and loss of local control have varying degrees of legitimacy but do not provide a persuasive argument against the urgent need for reform.

Attachments

Note: Not all attachments are visible to the general public. Research URLs will go live after the embargo ends.

Other Science Media Centre (New Zealand), Web page Three Waters expert comments (October 2022)

Journal/
conference: New Zealand Medical Journal

Organisation/s: University of Otago, Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou

Funder: No direct funding was acquired for this research. TC, NW, SH, MB receive funding by donations from the philanthropic Gama Foundation, but this funder had no role in this research or the decision to publish.

Media Contact/s

Contact details are only visible to registered journalists.