Water reform made simple: How Granicus helps councils deliver new services with confidence

By September 2025, every council in Aotearoa must deliver a Water Services Delivery Plan (WSDP) to the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). These plans represent a major milestone in the government’s Local Water Done Well reform programme, but they are only the beginning.

For councils, the responsibilities go far beyond ticking a compliance box. They must:

• Develop robust financial and governance structures for new water services.
• Show clear evidence of community consultation and engagement.
• Ensure information is accessible, transparent, and trusted.

Reform has been complex, timelines are tight, and many councils are still working to rebuild public trust after years of debate around Three Waters and its replacement.

It’s a lot to deliver — especially when councils are already operating with stretched resources.

How Granicus helps

At Granicus ANZ, we understand the unique pressures councils are facing during this reform. That’s why we’ve tailored our Government Experience Cloud (GXC) solutions to make water reform delivery simpler, faster, and more effective.

Here’s how.

Compliance made simple

Compliance doesn’t have to be complicated. With Granicus, councils can:

• Embed DIA WSDP templates directly into digital workflows, ensuring nothing is missed.
• Automate submissions, reminders, and reporting to keep governance teams on track.
• Access real-time dashboards for visibility and accountability, making it easy to share updates with councillors, regulators, and the community.

By digitising compliance processes, councils reduce admin overhead and can focus more energy on building services that meet community needs.

Modern council websites

Reform isn’t just about internal planning. Residents need to understand what’s happening, how services are changing, and what it means for them. That’s where modern digital infrastructure comes in.

With Granicus’ Service Cloud, councils can:

• Build accessible, mobile-friendly, and community-focused websites that serve as a trusted hub for reform updates.
• Launch dedicated water reform microsites with plain-language resources and timelines.
• Offer online forms for feedback, service requests, and queries — reducing call centre pressure and improving service access.

Your website is your digital front door. With Service Cloud, you can give your residents clarity, transparency, and confidence.

Smarter community engagement

Engagement isn’t just a regulatory requirement; it’s the foundation of trust. Councils that actively listen and respond to residents will see stronger buy-in for reform.

With Granicus’ Engagement Cloud, you can:

• Send targeted communications via email, newsletters, and social channels to keep residents informed.
• Run consultations, surveys, and feedback loops to capture community input on water services.
• Use analytics and reporting dashboards to measure participation and demonstrate genuine engagement to both the community and the DIA.

When communities feel heard, they’re more likely to trust the decisions their councils make.

Why Granicus?

Water reform might feel like uncharted territory, but Granicus has been here before. We are trusted by more than 7,000 public sector organisations worldwide — including many right here in New Zealand and Australia. Granicus delivers:

• Government-first solutions: Built specifically for councils and agencies, not retrofitted corporate tools.
• Proven results: Councils across ANZ already rely on Granicus to deliver engagement, service portals, and compliance support.
• End-to-end support: From compliance and communications to long-term digital transformation, Granicus provides the expertise and the technology to see you through.

With Granicus, you’re not just investing in software; you’re gaining a partner that understands the pressures of local government and is ready to help you deliver.

Moving from plans to delivery

Submitting your WSDP is a huge step forward, but it’s just the start of the reform journey. Councils now need to turn those plans into action by building the digital, engagement, and governance structures that will define water services for decades to come.

Granicus ANZ is here to make that journey easier. With Engagement Cloud, Service Cloud, and our tailored services packages, we help councils:

• Comply with confidence
• Engage communities with transparency
• Communicate effectively across every channel

Book a Government Experience Cloud demo today

Schedule a demo and see how Granicus can help your council deliver on water reform with confidence, clarity, and community trust.