Lower Hutt's mayor is calling for urgent reform of managing the region's water

Wellington Water's been crying out for more funding for years - partly to help fix increasing numbers of ageing and leaky pipes.

Chair, Nick Leggett, says its shareholding councils have advised the authority it needs 7.6 billion dollars over 10 years.

Councils only laid out 1.9 billion two years ago.

Mayor Campbell Barry says without significant reform, councils can't keep funding the water authority.