Legislation and regulations
Legislation that affects the Water Services Authority - Taumata Arowai.
Primary legislation
The key legislation for the Water Services Authority - Taumata Arowai is published on the New Zealand Legislation website.
The Water Services Act 2021outbound
Taumata Arowai–the Water Services Regulator Act 2020 – New Zealand Legislation websiteoutbound
Secondary legislation
Regulations
Regulations made under the Water Services Act 2021outbound by the Governor-General by Order in Council on recommendation of the Minister of Local Government. Published on the New Zealand Legislation website.
Water Services (Fees and Charges) Regulations 2021outbound
Water Services (Levies on Water Services) Regulations 2025outbound
Drinking Water Standards
Regulations to set drinking water standards made under the Water Services Act 2021outbound by the Governor-General by Order in Council on recommendation of the Minister of Local Government and following public consultation. Published on the New Zealand Legislation website.
Water Services (Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand) Regulations 2022outbound
Compliance Rules
Compliance rules made under the Water Services Act 2021outbound by The Water Services Authority - Taumata Arowai following public consultation.
Current Rules
Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules 2022 (Revised 2024) – this is a consolidated version of the Rules including amendments that came into effect on 1 January 2025.
Previous Rules
Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules 2022 – this version does not include amendments.
Amendment Rules
Drinking Water Quality Assurance Very Small to Medium Drinking Water Supplies Amendment Rules 2024 – these Rules amend the Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules 2022. You can use this document to see what has changed from the previous Rules.
Aesthetic Values
Aesthetic values issued under the Water Services Act 2021outbound by the Water Services Authority - Taumata Arowai following public consultation.
Gazette Notice: Aesthetic Values for Drinking Water Notice 2022 or download our PDF version.
Acceptable Solutions
Acceptable Solutions issued under the Water Services Act 2021outbound by the Water Services Authority - Taumata Arowai following public consultation.
Water Services (Mixed use Rural) Drinking Water Acceptable Solution 2025
Water Services (Self supplied Buildings) Drinking Water Acceptable Solution 2025
Water Services (Small to Medium Networks) Drinking Water Acceptable Solution 2025
Requirements for laboratories
Requirements relating to laboratories prescribed under the Water Services Act 2021outbound by the Water Services Authority - Taumata Arowai.
Requirements Relating to Laboratories 2021
Record-keeping requirements for monitoring and reporting purposes
Record-keeping requirements made under the Water Services Act 2021outbound by the Water Services Authority - Taumata Arowai requiring drinking water and wastewater network operators to keep and maintain records relating to compliance with applicable environmental performance measures and targets.
Current record-keeping requirements: Environmental Performance Measures Record-Keeping Requirements for Drinking Water and Wastewater Network Operators Notice 2025.
The applicable measures referred to in the notice can be found in the Network Environmental Performance Measures Guide 2025.
Exemptions
Some exemptions granted by the Water Services Authority - Taumata Arowai under sections 57 or 58 of the Water Services Act 2021 are secondary legislation. This includes exemptions from the requirement to use residual disinfection granted for a class of drinking water supplier and general exemptions granted for an individual or a class of supplier.
Gazetted exemptions can be found in the list below.
Gazette notices
The New Zealand Gazette is the official Government newspaper and authoritative journal of constitutional record. It includes official government notifications that are required by legislation to be published.
Archive
Secondary legislation instruments that have been revoked or replaced and are no longer in effect.