The failure to introduce water metering nationally is leading to widespread wastage, a parliamentary select committee has heard.
The head of the water sector lobby group Water New Zealand, Murray Gibb, has told the Auckland Governance select committee there was a strong case for water metering.
Mr Gibb says New Zealand's consumption of water is far higher than other countries, and that charging for water reduces consumption.
He says since water meters were introduced in the Auckland region, consumption has dropped to below 200 litres per person per day.
But, he says, jurisdictions such as the Kapiti and Queenstown-Lakes District Councils are using between 650 and 700 litres per person, per day.
