Chlorine-free drinking water - Hastings to hear the European example

Keeping the drinking water supply safe without chlorine is certainly possible, and information on how that might be achieved is being presented at a workshop hosted by Hastings District Council today.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says the presentation by New Zealand water expert Jim Graham on how some European communities keep drinking water safe without using chlorine will be invaluable.

"I want to ensure that we take every opportunity to consider all the information so that, as a community, we can make decisions on the treatment of water into the future.

"We have experts like Mr Graham who can help our community decide whether it is feasible and safe to treat drinking water without chlorine. We may not be able to do it right now, but it is possible depending on cost and risks."

Mr Graham, who is Water New Zealand’s principal water quality advisor, has just returned from Europe, where places like Netherlands and Denmark supply safe drinking water without chlorination. Read more