This report describes the microbiological and chemical quality of water in New Zealand drinking-water supplies serving populations of more than 100 people, and progress towards meeting the requirements of the Health Act 1956, from July 2012 to June 2013.
Methodology
Information on drinking-water quality was obtained from drinking-water assessors employed by district health board public health units, using questionnaires that sought data relating to water supply quality, monitoring and management. The information was collected at the level of the distribution zone, that is, the quality of water supplied to consumers.
Two surveys were used to gather information from registered community drinking-water supply zones that served populations of more than 100 people from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013. The first survey sought information about the microbiological and chemical quality of the drinking-water, water treatment processes in use, the means used to demonstrate achievement against the Standards, and the status of public health risk management plans. This survey utilised the online Water Information New Zealand (WINZ) database.
The second survey sought information relating to the management of drinking-water supplies by drinking-water suppliers in terms of the requirements of the Act that will eventually apply to water suppliers. An Excel spreadsheet was designed to collect the information and was completed by drinking-water assessors in discussion with water suppliers. The completed spreadsheets were returned to ESR for compilation and analysis.