The coalition has ticked off another objective - repealing the troubled Three Waters programme - but in doing so may have just delayed the bigger problem for another day.

"This is what councils across the country said they wanted" - Simeon Brown

The coalition has ticked off another objective - repealing the troubled Three Waters programme - but in doing so may have just delayed the bigger problem for another day.

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Three Waters has a turbulent history, going back to mid-2017 when the then-National government launched a review of the Havelock North water crisis.

After the election, the new Labour-led coalition began circulating its proposed response: taking control of water away from councils and giving it instead to four separate mega-entities. The idea was the new entities would be large enough and far enough removed from the councils' debts that they could borrow more and at a cheaper rate than the councils could do alone.

But by the time the details were fully unveiled in late-2021, a rump of opposition had built - with accusations of asset theft and concerns about the co-governance model requiring iwi involvement. It set the stage for a prolonged messy debate driven by furious councils.

The depth of feeling was such that Labour pivoted in March last year: rebranding to "Affordable Water Reform". The Minister in charge - Nanaia Mahuta - was replaced by Kieran McAnulty, the timeline was pushed back, and the four entities became 10, but the changes failed to end the furore.

Labour's opponents doubled down: pledging to repeal and replace, and - now in government - those parties achieved step one of that promise, using urgency to push through legislation consigning the Three Waters programme to the scrap heap.

Read more:

Minister points to 'backstops' if councils refuse Three Waters amalgamations

Councils 'don't have the capacity' to pay for water upgrades - Hipkins

Parliament repeals Three Waters programme under urgency

Three Waters repeal: 'It's going to be councils and mayors that cop it'

Government sets up advisory group ahead of Three Waters repeal

The coalition's new plan - championed by new Local Government Minister Simeon Brown - still has a lot of detail to be worked out, prompting the government to gather a technical advisory group…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details