2025/26 rates breakdown
This breakdown of the 2025/2026 rates is based on an average residential property and may not be the same for everyone.
Breakdown of rates
We've also taken a near-average residential property with a land value of $240,000 and a capital value of $445,000. The 2025/2026 rates are $3,952 Below is a table showing how the rates are allocated (please note, in this instance the general rate also includes the uniform annual general charge (UAGC).
The purpose of a uniform annual general charge is to make sure all property owners or ratepayers make a minimum contribution to services that benefit Whanganui.
| Rate |
Approx $ amounts (rounded) |
Percentage (rounded) |
| General rate, including the uniform annual general charge |
$2,016 |
51% |
| Wastewater |
$722 |
18% |
| Stormwater disposal |
$365 |
9% |
| Water supply |
$347 |
9% |
| Roads and footpaths |
$174 |
4% |
| Kerbside recycling collection |
$162 |
4% |
| Water firefighting capacity |
$73 |
2% |
| Roading resilience |
$46 |
1% |
| Earthquake strengthening |
$46 |
1% |
| Total |
$3,952 |
100% |
Breakdown of general rate, including the uniform annual general charge
| Activity |
Approx $ amounts (rounded) |
Percentage (rounded) |
| Parks and open spaces |
$318 |
15.8% |
| Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua Whanganui |
$244 |
12.1% |
| Property portfolio |
$230 |
11.4% |
| Libraries |
$175 |
8.7% |
| Acquatics |
$168 |
8.3% |
| SeaPort |
$137 |
6.8% |
| Governance |
$113 |
5.6% |
| Community |
$110 |
5.5% |
| Whanganui Regional Museum |
$88 |
4.4% |
| Central Business District |
$62 |
3.1% |
| Airport |
$55 |
2.7% |
| Waste minimisation and collection |
$49 |
2.4% |
| District Planning |
$47 |
2.4% |
| Cooks Gardens & Velodrome |
$46 |
2.3% |
| Economic Development |
$42 |
2.1% |
| War Memorial Centre |
$38 |
1.9% |
| Royal Whanganui Opera House |
$28 |
1.4% |
| Animal management |
$26 |
1.3% |
| Building control |
$25 |
1.2% |
| Environmental health |
$24 |
1.2% |
| New Zealand Glassworks Te Whare Tūhua o Te Ao |
$23 |
1.2% |
| Resource Consenting |
$23 |
1.1% |
| Emergency management |
$23 |
1.1% |
| Stormwater |
$16 |
0.8% |
| Durie Hill Elevator |
$14 |
0.7% |
| Cemeteries |
$10 |
0.5% |
| Older persons’ housing |
$- |
0.0% |
| Parking Services |
-$41 |
-2.0% |
| Investments |
-$77 |
-3.8% |
| Total general rate, including the uniform annual general charge |
$2,016 |
100% |
Local Water Done Well regulatory costs
Earlier this year both Taumata Arowai and the Commerce Commission consulted on proposed levies to recover the cost of their three waters regulatory functions from councils and therefore ratepayers. The council submitted a response to these propositions strongly opposing, however it was confirmed the levies would come into effect on 1 July 2025.
- The Commerce Commission levy for 2025/26 is $61,988 (excluding GST)
- The Taumata Arowai levy for 2025/26 is $197,008 (excluding GST)
- In total, the levies added $258,996 to the 2025/26 Annual Plan budget
- The levies will add around $14.50 per household for those connected to three waters systems.
- The levies have been incorporated into the wastewater, water supply and stormwater rates for 2025/26.
- The levies were accounted for in the 2.2% rates increase for 2025/26.