70% of Kiwis welcome public private investment in water infrastructure

New survey reveals 94% of Kiwis rank protecting water as a top priority, and 92% said clean and pristine waters are vital to New Zealand’s international reputation.

55% of New Zealanders would accept an increase in rates to pay for improved water infrastructure. But they weren’t quite as certain about who should lead the planning and delivery.

70% welcomed private investment with public ownership. And 62% are comfortable with contracts of 30 years or more to deliver water infrastructure and operations if it improved water quality. 

Protecting New Zealand’s water is a top priority for 94% of Kiwis and when it comes to building water infrastructure to address that priority, 70% of us will accept public and private partnerships and 30-year-long contracts if the assets remain in public hands. 

These strong results come from the inaugural Veolia Annual Water Survey conducted by YouGov and commissioned by Veolia. The survey was designed to shed light on what New Zealanders from all walks of life think about how we interact with the most valuable of natural resources.  

While some results were expected, there were a number ― especially around water infrastructure ― that appeared to upend conventional public narratives and revealed growing concerns about declining water quality in our natural environment.

“It was comforting to find that 94% of Kiwis thought protecting New Zealand’s water was a top priority, 92% said clean and pristine waters were vital for its international reputation, and four out of five respondents were confident the water coming from their tap was safe and that the taste and appearance were of high quality,” said Veolia ANZ Country Director New Zealand Emma Brand. 

But it wasn’t all good news. Less than half (47%) of those surveyed thought New Zealand’s natural water environment was improving and more than three out of four (77%) respondents were concerned about the water quality where they lived.

Those concerns about declining water quality, coupled with media reports highlighting significant issues with aging water infrastructure and funding shortfalls, led more than half (55%) to say they even would support another rate hike if it led to better water infrastructure.

That said, nearly three out of four (73%) of New Zealanders believe funding for water infrastructure is the responsibility of the central government, not councils, although they were split on who they trust to plan and execute the infrastructure once the funding taps are turned on. 

The largest number (37%) felt the central government should take the lead on planning, but a large proportion (32%) wanted local councils to plan and direct spending on water infrastructure. 

“The survey got even more interesting when it explored public private partnerships as a way to fund the water infrastructure investment needed in the future,” said Brand.

“Most New Zealanders were comfortable to have private investors play a role, with 70% saying they would welcome private investment in water and wastewater infrastructure as long as the utilities remained in public ownership. 

“That’s a thoroughly sensible approach, which Veolia supports through its GreenUp strategy, because it is the most affordable way to deliver world’s-best water infrastructure and keep local communities in control of public utilities. However, if New Zealand wants to attract the world’s best infrastructure builders and managers to build and renew its infrastructure, tenderers must introduce contract lengths of 30 years or more.  

“Around the world, long term contracts in excess of 30 years are common, because they enable big upfront infrastructure investments by private companies, which can then be recouped over the long-term through extended operations and maintenance contracts while still keeping ownership in public hands. It’s a win-win for the public and the private sector.”

The majority of respondents seemed to understand this too, with 62% saying they were comfortable with private contracts of 30 years or more for water utilities if they saw reduced rates or improved water quality. 

While the funding debate clearly still has a while to go yet, there is one place where most of us agree and that is the community’s appreciation for the unsung heroes that keep our water running come rain, hail, or shine (and more recently, floods). A large majority (88%) of those surveyed said water workers were a vital part of the community and valued and appreciated the work they did. 

They also wanted our water workers to have more opportunities to improve, with 81% agreeing that more money should be invested in the skills and capabilities of the people that keep our water running. It’s a reminder, said Brand, that, no matter what the utility, people come first.

“In public spaces we talk about funding and infrastructure all the time, but none of this works without the people behind the scenes. I’ve seen our workers covered in muck restoring water supplies and rebooting wastewater treatment works after massive floods ― and they do it with a smile,” said Brand.

“When you got up this morning and made tea or coffee, took a shower and brushed your teeth, it was only possible because someone in a hardhat and a high-viz shirt turned up to work and made sure everything ran so smoothly and consistently that you forgot they were there. You didn’t even have to think about it. Water people truly are the invisible heroes of our society and it’s heartening to see in this survey that so many Kiwis recognise that too.”

Preserving our environment and supplying clean water to all New Zealanders goes to the heart of Veolia’s global GreenUp Strategy to decarbonise, depollute and regenerate our environment. This annual survey is a new signpost to guide us to that cleaner, greener future.  

Some interesting extras

• Should New Zealand invest in desalination plants: 71% say yes. This was particularly high in Auckland with 76% supporting the proposal.
• I would prefer to pay for water I use, rather than a fixed amount: 67% agreed, 23% disagreed and 10% didn’t know. The strongest support was in the North Island (71%) well ahead of the South Island (55%). Auckland at 83% supported it most of all. 

SURVEY DETAIL: All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1031 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 1st - 6th August 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all New Zealander adults (aged 18+).