Taumata Arowai meets with Christchurch City Council on safe drinking water

In its first week of operation as the national drinking water regulator, Taumata Arowai met with Christchurch City Council to discuss our mutual responsibilities under the new Water Services Act 2021.

Taumata Arowai Chief Executive Bill Bayfield said that he was pleased to meet with Christchurch City Council’s CEO Dawn Baxendale and receive assurance that the Council will continue to provide safe drinking water to the people of Christchurch.

“Like all drinking water suppliers, Christchurch City Council has and clearly takes seriously its duty to ensure the drinking water it supplies to its communities is safe,” says Mr Bayfield.

Mr Bayfield said that following the discussions Christchurch City Council has committed to continue to provide safe drinking water and to maintain its current level of chlorination (about 80 per cent of its current supply) while it considers its approach to drinking water safety planning under the new Water Services Act 2021.

Christchurch City Council’s CEO Dawn Baxendale said, “it was good to meet and to be assured that Taumata Arowai will continue to work with the Council as it assesses the requirements of the new legislation, including what may be required to support a new drinking water safety plan and any subsequent application for an exemption from chlorination.” 

From 1 March next year, drinking water suppliers like the Christchurch City Council will be able to apply for an exemption to the default requirement to provide for the use of residual disinfection (most commonly, using chlorine). 

Taumata Arowai will assess each exemption application to determine whether the supplier can provide safe drinking water without a residual disinfectant. In the meantime, suppliers must ensure that the drinking water they supply is safe. 

“Taumata Arowai recognises that Christchurch City Council is in a unique position. We will continue to meet with the Council to discuss the performance of its drinking water supplies and its approach to the management of any related risks. 

Both organisations want to make sure Christchurch residents continue to receive safe drinking water that complies with drinking water standards,” says Mr Bayfield. 

Notes for editors  

Taumata Arowai is a Crown entity established under the Taumata Arowai – the Water Services Regulator Act 2020.

The establishment of Taumata Arowai as an independent regulator for drinking water and new legislation in the form of the Water Services Act 2021 (replacing Part 2A of the Health Act 1956) are integral parts of the Government’s Three Waters Reform Programme.

Taumata Arowai will also have a future role in relation to wastewater and stormwater network performance. From 2023, Taumata Arowai will monitor and report on the environmental performance of wastewater and stormwater networks.

For more information visit www.taumataarowai.govt.nz

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