Medical Officer Commends District Council

DATE: 27 March 2009

Medical Officer of Health Commends Hurunui District Council

Canterbury Medical Officer of Health, Dr Alistair Humphrey has commended Hurunui District Council staff and councillors on responding promptly to concerns raised under the Drinking Water amendments of the Health Act.

“There is good evidence that water-borne illness affects thousands of New Zealanders each year and the quality of water was posing a considerable risk to Cheviot residents and visitors,” he said.

Hurunui District Council voted unanimously yesterday to treat Cheviot and Gore Bay townships’ water supply by July 1 2009. At their meeting in Hanmer Springs on 26th March, the councillors and their engineering staff discussed how the Miox chlorination treatment will provide safe drinking water for Cheviot residents and visitors until a more long term solution can be found from a secure bore. Most of the cost of the $44,000 programme will be borne out of general rates, as the equipment can be transferred to other localities in the future. The Cheviot residents will contribute $14,000 to the programme through targeted rates.

Dr Humphrey added, “The New Zealand Drinking Water Standards are important to protect us not just from gastro, but also renal failure and sometimes, tragically, death. In Hurunui, $44,000 is a small price to pay to prevent these illnesses. I defy anyone to say that rural New Zealanders are not worth it.”

ENDS

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