Would chlorination have prevented Martinborough's water woes?

As Martinborough continues to be impacted by a boil water notice, an expert explains why small towns are more susceptible to bouts of contamination.

Water New Zealand principal water quality advisor Jim Graham said treatment plants in smaller communities were often not up to the standard of sophisticated overseas infrastructure that made water safe without chlorination.

Graham was familiar with the Martinborough water supply and said it used a "pretty standard treatment method" for a town of its size.

South Wairarapa District Council (SWDC) employs a UV treatment and filtration system for the extracted groundwater from its Martinborough bore source. Read more.