Water Act 2000

Before a regulation amalgamates water authorities or authority areas or dissolves a water authority or an authority area, the chief executive must publish notice of the proposed amalgamation or dissolution—

in the gazette; and

in another way, if the chief executive considers the way to be appropriate having regard to the intended audience for the notice.

However, subsection (1) does not apply to a proposed amalgamation or dissolution mentioned in the subsection if the chief executive is satisfied—

the ratepayers in each authority area to which the proposed amalgamation or dissolution relates have been informed about the proposal by the water authority for the area; and

the proposed amalgamation or dissolution is because of action taken by the State in response to the Webbe-Weller review; and

the publication of the notice is not appropriate, having regard to the public interest.

For a proposed amalgamation or dissolution of an authority area mentioned in section 691(3)(b)—

subsection (1)(b) does not apply; but

the chief executive must give the notice to all landholders in the authority area who are being supplied with water at the time of the proposed amalgamation or dissolution.

A notice given under subsection (1) must—

contain the information about the proposed amalgamation or dissolution the chief executive considers appropriate; and

state the following—

that written submissions on the proposed amalgamation or dissolution may be made to the chief executive;

the date, at least 20 business days after the notice is published, by which the submissions may be made;

where the submissions may be made.