Drinking Water Rules
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To help our members and the wider sector understand and work within the new rules, Water New Zealand has run a series of webinars on the new rules and other key topics. View past recordings or upcoming webinars here.
Drinking Water Standards (Standards) set the Maximum Acceptable Values (MAVs) for a range of contaminants which can affect the safety and quality of drinking water. They are based on guideline values set by the World Health Organisation.
The new Drinking Water Standards were set by the Minister of Local Government on 9 June 2022 and will come into effect on 14 November 2022.
Taumata Arowa has issued updated aesthetic values for drinking water. These Aesthetic Values replace the guideline values for aesthetic determinands specified in the Drinking-water Standards for New Zealand 2005 (Revised 2018).
Taumata Arowai have published new Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules, which set out what drinking water suppliers need to do to comply with key parts of the Drinking Water Standards and other requirements under the Water Services Act 2021.
The new Rules come into effect on 14 November 2022.
The new regulator understands that it may not be practical for registered suppliers to change their sampling and reporting routine in mid-November, so their expectation is they will do so from 1 January 2023. Suppliers should continue with their current sampling and reporting routine until this date.
Unregistered suppliers
If you are a private supplier you will need to register by 15 November 2025 and be compliant by 15 November 2028.
Registered suppliers can notify Taumata Arowai by using a form that is available on their website. If there’s an immediate risk to public health, call 24/7 on 04 889 8350.
There are various solutions for small suppliers as laid out by Taumata Arowai.