A South Island mayor is warning that coming water bills could decimate finances for councils and households.
Next Wednesday councils need to deliver their plans for providing water services in a financially sustainable way to the Government.
Around the country, local authorities have been consulting with ratepayers on what model they want with most choosing to form council-controlled organisations, and 38 of them joining with other councils to do so.
A further 23 councils will go alone, and will be able to do so if they can prove to the Government they can viably deliver water services.
Bills for ratepayers will be separated from normal rates bills and estimates for some will be several thousand dollars a year.
Outgoing Clutha, Bryan Cadogan, talks to Kathryn about his fears over water costs in the future, she is also joined by Tauranga mayor Mahe Drysdale about his decision to backtrack on an earlier decision by his council go alone and Water New Zealand chief executive Gillian Blythe speaks about what the expectations on the new water entities will be.
