THE latest Annual Review of the Microbiological Quality of Drinking Water in New Zealand 1999 shows that almost 2.65
million New Zealanders were supplied with water that was proven to meet the national Drinking-water Standards for New
Zealand: 1995, up 1.2 percent from the previous year's figures.
However, some registered water suppliers still don't have adequate microbiological monitoring procedures and about
478,000 people are supplied with water which has not been tested or which has been tested using procedures that do not
meet the drinking water standards.
"The microbiological quality of drinking-water is an important factor in maintaining public health. Failure to maintain
high standards leads to the potential for outbreaks of disease, so it is important that these areas are addressed," said
the Ministry of Health's Chief Advisor Safety and Regulations, Dr Bob Boyd. Disease which can be spread by contaminated
water include cholera, typhoid, salmonellosis, shigellosis, giardiosis, cryptosporidiosis and campylobacteriosis.
The 1999 review looked at microbiological water quality monitoring data covering registered water supplies to 85 percent
of New Zealanders. A registered water supply is one which serves 25 people or more at least 60 days each year and is
listed on the Ministry of Health register. This can include town and rural water supplies, food outlets, schools, marae,
sports clubs, hospitals, hotels, motels and camping grounds.
"Management of bacteria and virus levels in drinking-water is important in maintaining public health and although the
local community may become acclimatised to micro-organisms in the water and develop a resistance to them, visitors may
be affected," Dr Boyd said.
Dr Boyd said that while drinking water suppliers for cities and large towns generally complied with the standards, some
water suppliers to populations of 5000 people or less did not. Compliance with the drinking water standards is voluntary
and the Ministry was working with water suppliers to help them develop monitoring procedures that meet the standards.
The review said a common problem was that some smaller registered water suppliers had monitoring processes in place but
used testing laboratories that were not approved by the Ministry of Health. This problem accounted for non-compliance to
the standards for water supplied to about 237,000 New Zealanders.
About a third of all registered water supplies are in schools and the 1999 review said that while there had been some
improvements, monitoring of school drinking-water supplies was still a concern, particularly as this involves a
vulnerable sector of the population. The review recommended that all schools should be audited to determine the source
of their drinking-water and that those not on town supply become registered suppliers and implement a proper
microbiological monitoring programme. The safety of school drinking water supplies is the responsibility of the School
Boards of Trustees.
Background information
Annual reviews of the microbiological quality of drinking water in New Zealand are conducted each year by the Institute
of Environmental Science and Research Ltd for the Ministry of Health. The reviews summarise information collected by
HHSs on the microbiological quality of community drinking-water supplies. This is part of a organised campaign which
started in 1992 to improve the quality of New Zealand's drinking-water.
New drinking water standards released recently by the Ministry of Health contain enhanced measures to ensure the public
have access to safe drinking water. The Drinking-Water Standards for New Zealand 2000 replace earlier Drinking-Water
Standards for New Zealand 1995 and will take effect from 1 January 2001. The new standards detail how to assess the
quality and safety of drinking-water. The Standards define drinking-water as: water intended to be used for human
consumption, food preparation, utensil washing, oral hygiene or personal hygiene. The Standards provide criteria
applicable to all drinking-water (except bottled water, which must comply with the Food Act 1981).
The new Drinking-Water Standards for New Zealand 2000: set out the requirements for compliance with the Standards
facilitate consistency of application throughout New Zealand protect public health while minimising unnecessary
monitoring specify sampling methods used to ensure the water complies with the standards take into account advances in
knowledge of pathogenic protozoa such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium include new measures to detect waterborne protozoa
and maximum acceptable values for cyanobacteria [blue-green algae] include six cyanotoxins and sixteen pesticides not
previously included in the old drinking water standards raise the acceptable level of boron from 0.3 milligrams per
litre [mg/L] to 1.4 mg/L.
Copies of Annual Review of the Microbiological Quality of Drinking Water in New Zealand 1999 and Drinking Water
Standards for New Zealand 2000 are available on the Ministry of Health website www.moh.govt.nz.
ENDS
For more information, contact: Angus Barclay, Media Advisor, ph: 04-496-2182 Internet address:
http://www.moh.govt.nz/media.html
For further information about schools contact Ministry of Education Brian Mitchell, ph: 04-463-8285