By Isobel Oldfield, Project Lead National Engineering Design Standards, Water Services Authority
Aotearoa New Zealand is preparing to spend nearly $50 billion on water infrastructure over the next decade. But while the challenge is national, the rules guiding design and construction remain largely local. The Water Services Authority’s proposed National Engineering Design Standards aim to change that.
Right now, a pipe approved in one district may need to be redesigned to meet a different design standard just a few kilometres down the road. A manhole cover or silt trap that meets requirements in one part of Aotearoa New Zealand could face different engineering expectations elsewhere.
This patchwork approach creates unnecessary complexity at a time when New Zealand faces one of the largest infrastructure investment programmes in its history.
Up to 45 different codes are in use across New Zealand. This has led to a fragmented system in which infrastructure can be designed and built to different requirements depending on where it is located. This creates inefficiency and inconsistency, and makes it harder to assess whether public health, environmental performance, resilience and value-for-money are being achieved consistently across the country.
For water service providers, developers, consultants and suppliers, that can create additional design, approval and procurement costs. For communities, it can ultimately affect how efficiently infrastructure is delivered and maintained.
Why the National Engineering Design Standards matter
The proposed National Engineering Design Standards (NEDS) framework is designed to address those challenges by establishing nationally consistent standards covering the full life cycle – the design, construction, operation, maintenance and eventual decommissioning of water supply, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. In practice, this means clearer expectations for those designing and delivering infrastructure, and a stronger foundation for consistent asset management and performance over time
The NEDS are intended to support more sustainable water infrastructure and more affordable water services by reducing uncertainty, duplication, time and cost for water service providers, councils, developers, and suppliers.
A consistent national framework will make the planning, design, approvals, and construction of water infrastructure more efficient and cost-effective, while helping ensure communities receive safe, reliable, and resilient water services.
Shaping the framework together
Between August and September 2026, the Water Services Authority has sought feedback from across the water sector on both the proposed NEDS framework – that is, how the standards and codes of practice will be organised – and the approach for prioritising the first tranche of standards and codes of practice.
The proposal covered three key layers.
- Mandatory performance standards: This layer sets out common performance objectives, which flow into performance and functional requirements specific to each water or to a cross-cutting area, such as data standards.
- The compliance pathway: National codes of practice, developed by the Water Services Authority, which will set out the detailed technical specifications and standards, and will provide a deemed-to-comply pathway to the standards. Where a different approach is needed, water service providers can also approve alternative solutions.
- Administration of the system: The new system will be administered by water service providers, who will be required to inspect and approve new and replacement infrastructure. This will be supported by new bylaw requirements under the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025. The Water Services Authority will have a systems oversight role.
The NEDS framework and worked example
At the time of writing in late August 2026, the NEDS team had talked to a wide range of industry bodies and experts from across the water sector, including councils, water service providers, developers, suppliers and consultants. Most of the feedback received to date has been supportive of the proposed framework and the intent of the NEDS.
We appreciate the strong response from the sector, the willingness to be involved and the many offers of help we have received from technical experts. We know the sector finds the current fragmented approach challenging and there is frustration that previous attempts to address these challenges have not been finalised.
We want to thank everyone who has provided us with feedback, and attended our webinars and workshops. We plan to build on the great work done to date and will continue to work with the sector while we build the new framework.
From framework to standards
We have designed the proposed framework to provide a clear structure for future standards and codes of practice, and to help participants understand how the different elements fit together and how compliance pathways may operate.
By the time you read this article, we will be reviewing the feedback received during engagement and refining the framework before moving into detailed technical development. We plan to share publicly the high-level analysis summarising key themes from the engagement.
The insights from sector feedback will then help us shape both the structure of the framework, and how we prioritise the first tranche of standards and codes of practice. It will also help ensure the NEDS are grounded in sector experience and focused on areas where national consistency can add the most value.
Through to the end of 2026, the NEDS team will focus on detailed technical development of the NEDS and associated codes of practice, continuing to work with the sector as the content is developed.
Looking ahead
The next phase of work will focus on developing detailed standards and supporting codes of practice through the end of 2026 and into early 2027.
Later in 2027, we plan to publicly consult on the full detail of the proposed standards and codes. This will provide a further opportunity for the sector to provide feedback.
Following consultation, the standards and codes of practice will be refined. At this point, we aim to have the standards and codes published in early 2028.
A transition period with support from the Water Services Authority will then enable the sector to fully understand and then apply the NEDS in practice. Once in place, the Water Services Authority plans to regularly review the standards and codes to ensure they remain current, practical, and responsive to changes in technology, practice, and sector needs.
As New Zealand embarks on a truly significant and unprecedented period of water infrastructure investment, the success of that investment will depend not only on what gets built, but also on the systems and standards that guide how it is delivered.
This is about building a solid foundation for the future. We want nationally consistent national engineering design standards that are practical and capable of supporting better outcomes for all of us across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Subject matter experts who are interested in contributing to the technical development of the NEDS and codes of practice can email neds@taumataarowai.govt.nz and note their areas of interest.