Taumata Arowai, the water services regulator for Aotearoa New Zealand, has welcomed the recommendations made by the Rural Drinking Water Supplies Working Group to the Department of Internal Affairs.

The Working Group was established in response to feedback from the rural sector regarding the Three Waters Reform programme. The Working Group has provided its report to the Department of Internal Affairs.

Chair of the Taumata Arowai Board, Dame Karen Poutasi said that the 30 recommendations included in the report will ensure rural communities’ unique drinking water needs are recognised in the Government’s reform of the Three Waters.

“The Working Group’s recommendations are sensible and are welcomed by Taumata Arowai. The Board are looking forward to Taumata Arowai working with the Department of Internal Affairs as they better understand the implications of these recommendations,” said Dame Karen Poutasi.

Head of Regulatory Ray McMillan said that the Working Group has made pragmatic and practical recommendations that will provide the sector with more clarity as policy decisions are finalised.

“As the regulator, clarity is a good thing. Taumata Arowai has welcomed the feedback and we will work with the sector to create a regulatory regime that is fit for purpose,” said Mr McMillan.

“In its recommendations the Working Group identified that rural drinking water schemes often provide water for farming as well as for people to drink. A pragmatic and practical approach is needed in how we approach regulation. I’m not interested in regulation for the sake of regulation – our main concern is that suppliers provide water to their communities that’s safe to drink. Frankly, I don’t think stock or irrigation need treated drinking water and it's pleasing to see that the recommendations from the working group address the complexity of rural drinking water supplies.”

“From our perspective as the water services regulator, we are clear on our role. But, with the introduction of the Water Services Act 2021 there are now thousands of rural drinking water suppliers that were not regulated in the previous system.”

“For drinking water suppliers, we are keeping our messages simple. You have a duty to ensure the drinking water you provide is safe,” said Mr McMillan.

Mr McMillan said that the new drinking water regulator is taking a phased approach, with focus in the first year on transitioning those suppliers previously registered with the Ministry of Health.

“This means that Taumata Arowai deals first with the registration and regulation of the country’s most complex water supply arrangements and those supplies that represent the greatest risk. Most of these are currently managed by local councils. It’s these local councils who are responsible for supplying safe drinking water to the vast majority (86%) of New Zealanders across the motu,” said Mr McMillan.

Under the Water Services Act 2021, suppliers who were unregistered before 15 November 2021 will have up to four years to register their supply (November 2025), and a further three years to comply with the new standards and rules (November 2028). New drinking water suppliers who started operating after 15 November 2021 must comply with the Water Services Act 2021 from the outset.

“We are going to approach regulation in a pragmatic way based on the scale, complexity, and risk of different water supplies. It’s important though, to remember that as the regulator, we expect anyone who supplies drinking water to take their duty to provide safe drinking water seriously,” said Mr McMillan.

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