For water carriers
Water carriers are defined as drinking water suppliers under the Water Services Act 2021. Because of the nature and risks of water carrier services, some different requirements and timelines apply.
Registering with Taumata Arowai
All water carriers should be registered with Taumata Arowai and have provided us with a drinking water safety plan by 15 November 2022.
If your water carrier operation was registered with the Ministry of Health immediately before 15 November 2021, your details have been automatically transferred to us and you continue to be registered. We'll contact you and invite you to set up an account and confirm your registration details in our online self-service portal Hinekōrako.
If your water carrier operation was operating immediately before 15 November 2021 but was not registered with the Ministry of Health you should have registered with Taumata Arowai by 15 November 2022.
If you’re starting a new water carrier operation after 15 November 2021, you must register before you begin to transport drinking water. You can register now by filling out this online form.
Renewing your registration
Once registered, you will need to renew your registration annually. You’re required to immediately notify Taumata Arowai if your registration details change. Once your account is set up this can be done through our online portal Hinekōrako. Before that, you can inform us by emailing info@taumataarowai.govt.nz
Your notification responsibilities
As a drinking water supplier you must prepare for and respond to an incident that puts the safety of your drinking water supply at risk.
Follow the guidelines on the Notify Taumata Arowai page.
Identifying the water supply that you use
To register as a water carrier, you need to identify the drinking water supply or water source you use to fill your tankers. A water source is a body of water from which water is abstracted (e.g. a river, stream, lake, aquifer or rainwater tank).
If you have your own water source
If you have your own water source that is only used to fill your tankers, you’ll need to register that source as a drinking water supply to complete your water carrier registration. Your water carrying service will then be registered as a separate drinking water supply in Hinekōrako.
You’ll also need to complete a source water risk management plan and monitor your source water quality to ensure its safety.
If you use another drinking water supplier’s reticulated supply
You will need to identify the supply from which you take water when you confirm your registration details in Hinekōrako.
You don’t need to prepare a source water risk management plan or monitor source water quality.
Drinking water safety planning
All water carriers need to provide Taumata Arowai with a drinking water safety plan which complies with the Water Services Act 2021.
If you are starting a new water carrier business, you need to submit a drinking water safety plan to Taumata Arowai before you begin to transport water.
If your drinking water safety plan was approved by a drinking water assessor under the Health Act and was in effect immediately before 15 November 2021, it will continue to apply until you submit your new one.
More information on drinking water safety planning.
What rules and standards to follow
You must ensure the drinking water you supply complies with the Drinking Water Standards, Aesthetic Values, Quality Assurance Rules and Acceptable Solutions that came into effect on 14 November 2022.