Boil-Water Notice and Drinking Water Standards
Boil Water Notices
see our Public Notices section
Do you have questions? Please contact the Utilities Department through the our Amberley Office, 03 314 0022 or after hours 314 8816
Drinking Water Standards
The Health (Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2007 came into force on 1 July 2008 and requires Council's to monitor drinking water, to take all practicable steps to comply with the drinking water standards and to implement risk management plans.
Five of the Council’s 13 water schemes are defined as “minor” supplies, which require compliance with the Act by 1 July 2014. Another four schemes are categorised as “small” with a timeframe of 2015. The other four are “rural agricultural” schemes for which the Act is not specific as to either requirements or timeframe.
The Council will be working closely with the Water Committees over the next few years to improve quality of drinking water. In some cases that will mean making provision for additional monitoring, while in others a treatment plant upgrade or new source may be required. The details of whatever is required will become clearer once the Council’s ‘Public Health Risk Management Plans’ (PHRMP’s) are written and approved by Crown Public Health for every supply.
At present six of the 13 plans have either been approved or are close to completion. The remaining plans will be completed over the next 2 years.
The Government is presently reviewing its Capital Assistance Programme (administered by its Capital Assistance Programme) and it is hoped that applications will re-open before the end of the year. PHRMP’s are pre-requisites to applications.
Plumbosolvency Notice
Some plumbing fittings have the potential to allow minute traces of metals to accumulate in water that is standing in the fittings for several hours.
Although the health risk is small, the Ministry of Health recommends you flush a mugful of water from your drinking-water tap each morning before use to remove any metals which may have dissolved from the plumbing fittings.
We are recommending this simple precaution for all households, including those on public and private water supplies.
We also remind those that are currently on boil water notices to continue boiling your water. Please refer to our website for further information.