The case for change has been made, and now is the time to act. As a Government, we've embarked on an ambitious programme to improve both regulation and service delivery in the three waters space. This programme has already seen the establishment of a dedicated drinking-water regulator and the passage of the Water Services Act 2021, which provides a new regulatory regime for drinking-water suppliers. These changes will protect New Zealanders' health and the environment, and they received near universal support from the sector. But they are a high bar for water service providers and create an additional affordability challenge which councils cannot meet.