Watercare's CEO Raveen Jaduram has resigned to "consider new opportunities".
Chair of Watercare Services Margaret Devlin announced Jaduram's resignation on Monday which will come into effect from October 31.
"Ms Devlin acknowledged the significant contribution Mr Jaduram has made to Watercare as Chief Executive and thanked him for his dedicated service."
She noted Jaduram had been in the job for six years and he had said it "was timely to consider new opportunities".
"With the Government's three waters reform initiative and the Auckland Council's review of Council Controlled Organisations, a new Chief Executive will bring a fresh approach to lead Watercare through its next phase," Devlin said.
"Mr Jaduram notes that this is an exciting and vital time across the whole infrastructure sector and he looks forward to making a wider contribution."
Jaduram had recently come under fire for his handling of Auckland's water crisis, and his salary.
Auckland received 40 percent less rainfall than normal between November 2019 and May 2020, making it the region's worst drought on record.
The city's water restrictions led to emergency spending of $224 million to bolster the city's water supply, restrictions on using outdoor hoses and water blasters, and a four-minute limit on showers.
Jaduram is also the highest-paid of any executive at Auckland Council with a salary of $775,000 -30 percent more than the new chief executive of Auckland Council.
In June, he assured The AM Show's Duncan Garner he wasn't considering resigning.
"No, I need to help Aucklanders, I'm not going to resign," he said. "Frustration is motivation."
He had been Watercare's chief executive since taking over the role in February 2014 in an acting capacity.
Before joining the company he was the managing director and chief executive of an Australian private water company, Murrumbidgee Irrigation Limited.
