Six minutes, four directors, one mission: New water body's first meeting

The head of Marlborough's new water service says the key measure for the entity's success will be "whether people can trust the water from their tap".

Marlborough Waters board chairman Warren McNabb made the comment to his three fellow board members and a handful of Marlborough District Council staff at the organisation's first board meeting on Wednesday.

Marlborough Waters is 100% owned by the council. The council voted to establish the organisation last year under the government's Local Water Done Well policy, and would officially start delivering waters services on July 1, 2027.

"Marlborough Waters will be judged by whether people can trust the water from their tap," McNabb said.

The meeting lasted six minutes before going into public excluded, so that board members could discuss the sensitive matters of employment and finances. Even the establishment chief executive Richard Coningham had to leave.

First up, the team had to begin the search for a new chief executive, and establish the organisation's work culture and values, among other business.

Before going into public excluded, McNabb told his fellow board members that the meeting was an "important milestone" for the region. They were sat around a circle of tables in the council's committee room, normally used for subcommittee meetings.

McNabb said while the management of Marlborough's pipes was changing, the purpose remained the same - to provide safe and reliable drinking water, wastewater and stormwater to Marlborough communities.

"These are essential services ... that is a responsibility we take on today," he said.

McNabb acknowledged the work of council staff in setting up the new organisation. Their expertise and "significant" infrastructure investment programme would be the foundation the board would build on, he said.

McNabb had over 20 years of governance experience including in utilities and infrastructure.

He currently sat on 11 boards, including Angel Investors Marlborough, Waikawa Marina Trust, and chaired Port Marlborough's board.

The four-person Marlborough Waters board included former Wellington Water chief executive Patrick Dougherty, Whakarewa Trust chairperson Rōpata Taylor, and Selwyn Water chairperson Murray Strong.

McNabb said the directors brought "a broad range of expertise, experience and perspectives".

Affordability, infrastructure renewal, and climate change resilience would be top of mind for the new board, he said.

"We must take a long-term view of Marlborough's infrastructure. Ageing assets, changing regulatory requirements, and growth ... all mean there are significant investments ahead."

"Every dollar spent ultimately comes from the communities we serve. Our job is to make sure investment is necessary, well-timed, and delivers value."

Accountability and transparency would also be important, as "people will understandably have questions about what is changing, what it will cost, and what it means for them", McNabb said.

There was still a lot of work to do before Marlborough Waters was fully up and running, he said.