Holiday makers warned to check destination water is safe to drink

Source: Radio New Zealand

Holidaymakers need to be vigilant by checking the quality of drinking water at their holiday spots which run on riskier schemes, Water New Zealand says.

The water industry body said water schemes for many small and rural communities, including some council-owned supplies, lacked the same protections and treatment of systems for larger urban areas.

Water New Zealand chief executive Gillian Blythe said improvements had made for publicly supplied water, with more councils having sufficient treatments for protection against protozoa and bacterial infection.

“However, almost 400,000 New Zealanders are still receiving water from council supplies that lack one or more critical barrier to safety,” she said.

“As well, many small communities rely on tank and ground water. It’s important that water from these sources is treated or boiled before use.”

Tank water at holiday homes and campsites were susceptible to “vermin or bird droppings”, Blythe said.

“If your water is from a public or council supply, keep an eye out for boil water notices. When a boil water notice is issued, it means E. coli has been found, usually from faecal contamination,” she said.

“No one wants their holiday spoiled by illness and a few simple measures can prevent unnecessary grief.”

Further warnings had been extended for swimming areas during the holiday period, particularly in the days following heavy rain.

Rivers, lakes, or at the beach were susceptible to runoff and sewage overflows that could cause E. coli contamination, Blythe said.

“It’s a good idea to check the LAWA website for information on the quality of water in your region and at your swimming spot.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand