Confused when you are meant to comply?

Now that the New Year has started, all water supplies that were previously registered by the Ministry of Health must comply with all Taumata Arowai new requirements.

These legal requirements include:

• Drinking Water Standards 2022 AND

• Water Services Act 2021

You must demonstrate compliance with:

• an Acceptable Solution (if applicable and adopted in whole) OR

• have a Source Water Risk Management Plan (which includes Te Mana O Te Wai) AND

• have a Drinking Water Safety Plan

Taumata Arowai has recently clarified that reporting requirements under the Quality Assurance Rules which demonstrate compliance with the Drinking Water Standards will be a transition in 2023.

If you supply >500 people you now have until 1 March 2023 to comply with the QA Rules.  

If you supply 101 - 500 people you now have until 1 April 2023 to report quarterly on your compliance with the QA Rules & DW Standards.

If you supply 26 - 100 people you now have until 1 July 2023 to report 6 monthly on your compliance with the QA Rules & DW Standards.

If you supply <26 people you now have until 1 January 2024 to report annually on your compliance with the QA Rules & DW Standards.

We can help you prepare your initial reports and procedures for future reporting. If your first report is later this year, we can have a look at your sampling plan to ensure it is compliant now, so that there is no missing data.

Note that you must still notify Taumata Arowai immediately if your supply transgresses the Drinking Water Standards, even if your report isn't due yet.  

And you must respond to such an incident in accordance with your DWSP (or Acceptable Solution) to ensure no consumers are harmed. We can help with this.