The Government is pressing ahead with its nationwide three waters reforms, making them compulsory despite stiff opposition from local councils.

The government will now set up working groups to guide the process and by mid-2024, four new publicly-owned entities will take day-to-day responsibility for drinking, storm, and waste water pipes.

It comes after years of warnings from the Auditor-General's office that councils were not spending enough money to fix, maintain and replace their networks - a bill the government says is now an estimated $185 billion over the next 30 years.

The Minister for Local Government Nanaia Mahuta told Māni Dunlop the case for change was too compelling to ignore.