Water Quality Testing
Council's water contractor, Veolia, monitor the water supply to make sure that there are no bacteria, viruses or protozoa (such as cryptosporidium and giardia) present following our treatment processes, as they can cause water-borne disease. Also monitored are the concentrations of a range of chemicals in our water, to ensure that there are no metals or other chemicals at levels that are considered unsafe. The complete criteria for determining whether a water supply is safe are contained in the Ministry of Health's (MoH) Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand. Monitoring and testing of the water supply is designed to prove that we meet these standards.
The following indicators are monitored regularly:
| TEST | MOH GUIDELINES | EXPLANATION OF TEST |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.0 - 8.5 | pH is a measure of the hydrogen ions in the water. pH is listed by the MoH as an aesthetic determinand (this means that it may affect the water's taste, odour, colour clarity or general appearance) - it is not listed as a determinand of health significance. pH is measured to ensure effective disinfection with chlorine. |
| FAC | 0.2 mg/L - 5 mg/L | FAC stands for Free Available Chlorine. This is measured to ensure there is sufficient chlorine in the water supply to kill any germs that may be present. |
| E.coli | 0 in 38-76 s/q1 in 77-108 s/q2 in 109-138 s/q 3 in 139-166 s/q 4 in 167-193 s/q (s/q = samples/quarter) | E. coli is a bacterium that the MoH uses as an indicator organism to assess the microbial quality of the drinking water. The MoH feels that if E. coli is present in the water faecal contamination has almost certainly occurred, so pathogens (bacteria that can make you sick) may be present in the water. |
If you are concerned about the quality of your water please contact Council.
