Community drinking water station supply
Information for suppliers to a single community drinking water tap at which people can fill containers.
Key things you need to know as a supplier to a community drinking water station can be found on this page.
Register with us
If you're a new supplier, or an existing supplier who was registered under the Ministry of Health but has not yet registered with us, you'll need to register your supply with us on Hinekōrako - our self-service supply portal. The portal enables you to share important information with us about your supply.
Head to our registration page for more information and to access Hinekōrako.
Drinking water safety plan
Preparing a drinking water safety plan is a risk management process that aims to ensure a safe, reliable and resilient supply of drinking water to your community. You’ll need to provide a DWSP when you register with us.
What should be in a DWSP?
Your DWSP records the hazards and risks to your drinking water supply and how you will manage them to ensure that drinking water is safe. Your plan must:
- be proportionate to the scale and complexity of, and the risks that relate to, your drinking water supply
- identify any hazards that relate to your drinking water supply
- assess any risks associated with those hazards
- identify how those risks will be managed, controlled, or eliminated to ensure that the water you supply is safe and complies with the legislative requirements of the Water Services Act 2021 outbound
- identify how the DWSP will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and how its implementation will be amended, if necessary, to ensure that the drinking water you supply is safe and complies with legislative requirements
- identify how your drinking water supply will be monitored to ensure that drinking water is safe and complies with legislative requirements
- include procedures to verify that your DWSP is working effectively
- include a multi-barrier approach to drinking water safety that will be implemented as part of the DWSP
- include a source water risk management plan if required
- if your supply includes reticulation, require, and provide for the use of, residual disinfection in the supply unless an exemption is obtained
- identify how you will meet your duty as a supplier to ensure that a sufficient quantity of drinking water is provided
- identify how you will respond to events and emergencies in relation to your supply
- comply with the relevant requirements of the Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules (the Rules).
Source water risk management plan
A source water risk management plan is part of your DWSP, unless your supply doesn’t have a source (for example, you receive water from another supplier). It sets out how hazards and risks in your source water will be managed. One step in the development of your plan will be engaging with local authorities to understand the risks to your water source.
A source water risk management plan must:
- identify any hazards that relate to the source water, including emerging or potential hazards
- assess any risks that are associated with those hazards
- identify how those risks will be managed, controlled, monitored or eliminated as part of a DWSP
- include a description of the land surrounding the source water or the groundwater catchment
- have regard to any values identified by local authorities under the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (made under the Resource Management Act 1991) that relate to a freshwater body that you use as a source of your drinking water supply.
Guidance and template
We've prepared additional guidance and a template you can use to submit your DWSP. It's not mandatory to use the template and you can submit your plan in a different format as long as it addresses each of the elements described under ‘What should be in a DWSP?’ above.
You'll see reference in the guidelines and template to population size. Your supply doesn't have a population size, but the source water and treatment rules you need to follow are the same as those for small networked supplies so you can use the same guidelines and template (noting also that you don’t have a distribution system).
Guide to uploading your DWSP to Hinekōrako outbound
Rule types, reporting, and compliance periods
Monitoring rules
Monitoring rules set out requirements to monitor the quality of source water and treated water. They cover determinands and parameters that need to be either continuously monitored or regularly sampled. Monitoring rules have compliance periods of 1 day, 1 month, 3 months, or 1 year, which typically depends on the frequency of monitoring required in the rule.
1-day compliance periods
A monitoring rule which requires a determinand or parameter to be continuously monitored or monitored daily, irrespective of the period of the day that the supply is operating, has a compliance period of 1 day, i.e. 24 hours (midnight to midnight).
1-month compliance periods
A monitoring rule which requires a determinand or parameter to be monitored on a monthly or weekly basis, e.g. 2 per week, 8 per month, etc., has a compliance period of 1 month.
3-month compliance periods
A monitoring rule which requires a determinand or parameter to be monitored at least every 3 months has a compliance period of 3 months.
1-year compliance periods
All other monitoring rules have a compliance period of 1 year.
Note: Where monitoring occurs at least every 3 years or at least every 5 years, the rule must be reported annually. It will be compliant if the monitoring was not due that year or if the monitoring was due and was undertaken.
Assurance rules
Assurance rules cover activities that water suppliers need to undertake, for example the preparation of a backflow prevention programme or a distribution zone sampling plan. Assurance rules are used to indicate whether water suppliers undertake activities that contribute to the provision of safe drinking water.
Assurance rules have a compliance period of 1 year.
Non-reporting rules
Some rules are designated as non-reporting rules and water suppliers are not required to report on their performance against those rules, though they are still expected to comply with the requirements of the rules. Non-reporting rules have no compliance period as they do not have to be reported on.
The rules that apply to this type of supply are listed below. You can download the complete Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules here.
General Rules
The following Level 1 General Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules apply.
Rule G1 – reporting requirements (assurance rule)
Drinking water suppliers following level 1 Rules modules must report annually:
(a) whether they complied with each monitoring rule requirement; and
(b) the number of quarters for which each monitoring rule requirement was not complied with during each calendar year; and
(c) the supply component ID, sample ID, sample date, and test results for all samples analysed by a laboratory during the year; and
(d) within 40 working days of the end of each calendar year; and
(e) in an approved form.
Compliance period: 1 year
Rule G6 – sample labelling (assurance rule)
All samples collected from drinking water supplies for monitoring that are analysed by laboratories must be labelled with the unique source, treatment plant, distribution zone, or Water Carrier Service identifier allocated by the Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai, to show where the sample was collected from and the time and date that the sample was collected.
Compliance period: 1 year
Rule G7 – sample delivery (assurance rule)
Drinking water suppliers must take reasonably practicable steps to ensure that samples for E. coli, total coliforms, or other microbiological contaminants are delivered to a laboratory within 24 hours of the sample being collected, and at a water temperature that is no higher than the water temperature at the time of sampling but above zero degrees Celsius.
Compliance period: 1 year
Rule G8 – sample analysis (assurance rule)
All water samples that require laboratory analysis and are used to demonstrate compliance with these Rules must be:
(a) analysed by a laboratory accredited by IANZ for the type of analysis being undertaken; and
(b) collected according to any instructions and specifications provided by the laboratory.
Compliance period: 1 year
Rule G9 – sampling equipment (assurance rule)
Equipment used for the analysis of single samples (grab samples) by drinking water suppliers, to demonstrate compliance with any rule, must be calibrated/verified in accordance with the instrument manufacturer’s specified procedures and frequency.
Compliance period: 1 year
Rule G10 – worker experience (assurance rule)
All work (planned or unplanned) on a water supply must be completed by suitably trained or experienced personnel.
Compliance period: 1 year
Rule G11 – worker hygiene (assurance rule)
Drinking water suppliers must prepare a hygiene code of practice for people working on a water supply which must include:
(a) maintenance of personal hygiene at all times; and
(b) prohibition of people working on a water system who are experiencing any gastrointestinal illness; and
(c) protection of the work site, materials, and tools from contamination; and
(d) how all reasonable steps will be taken to minimise the entry of contamination into the water supply during any activity.
Compliance period: 1 year
Supplies that use continuous monitoring to demonstrate compliance need to follow continuous monitoring rules G12, G13, G15, G16 and G17.
Rule G12 – continuous monitoring equipment (assurance rule)
Continuous on-line monitoring equipment used to demonstrate compliance with any rule must:
(a) be calibrated in accordance with the instrument manufacturer’s specified procedures and frequency; and
(b) have calibration verified in accordance with the instrument manufacturer’s specified procedures.
Compliance period: 1 year
Rule G13 – continuous monitoring equipment (assurance rule)
For continuous monitoring equipment that is used to demonstrate compliance against treatment Rules (T1, T2, T3), the separation between data records must be no more than 1 minute.
Compliance period: 1 year
Rule G15 – continuous monitoring equipment (assurance rule)
For continuous monitoring equipment that is used to assess source water or to demonstrate compliance against distribution zone Rules, the separation between data records must be no more than 30 minutes.
Compliance period: 1 year
Rule G16 – continuous monitoring equipment (assurance rule)
Continuous monitoring equipment used to monitor FAC in distribution zones must be appropriately pH and temperature compensated.
Compliance period: 1 year
Rule G17 – continuous monitoring equipment (monitoring rule)
Where continuous monitoring equipment that is used to demonstrate compliance (excludes source water monitoring) fails, or is not otherwise able to provide data, grab samples can be taken to substitute for continuous data if analyses of the parameters is undertaken for at least every 30-minute period that the continuous monitoring equipment is not operating.
Compliance period: Dependent on the parameter and circumstances.
Source Water Rules
The following S1 Source Water Rules apply.
Rule S1.1 - surface water and groundwater source monitoring (monitoring rule)
Surface and groundwater sources must be monitored:
(a) at least every 3 months for the following:
(i) E. coli
(ii) total coliforms; and
(b) at least every 3 years for the following:
(i) pH
(ii) turbidity
(iii) iron
(iv) manganese
(v) nitrate
(vi) arsenic
(vii) boron.
Rule S1.2 - roof source water monitoring (monitoring rule)
Roof water sources must be monitored:
(a) at least every 3 months for the following:
(i) E. coli
(ii) total coliforms; and
(b) at least every 3 years for the following:
(i) cadmium
(ii) copper
(iii) lead.
Rule S1.3 - chemical determinands (monitoring rule)
Any chemical determinands that are identified as presenting a risk to the supply or are found to exceed 50% of their MAV in source water samples must be monitored at least annually until 3 consecutive results from source water samples are less than the 50% of the MAV.
Compliance period: 1 year
Rule S1.4- collection points (non-reporting rule)
Samples collected under:
(a) rule S1.1 must be collected at the abstraction point or treatment plant prior to treatment and/or mixing with other sources; and
(b) rule S1.2 must be collected at the raw water storage tank outlet and prior to any treatment.
Rule S1.5 - cyanobacteria risk (non-reporting rule)
The following measures must be taken in relation to surface water intakes:
(a) Each month between October and May (inclusive):
(i) the water and area around and upstream of the intake must be inspected for the presence of benthic cyanobacteria mats and planktonic cyanobacterial growth; or
(ii) water must be monitored for cyanobacterial cell count at the treatment plant prior to mixing and treatment.
(b) If there is evidence of cyanobacterial growth, steps must be taken to evaluate the cyanotoxin risk to consumers.
(c) If there is a risk of supplying water with cyanotoxins that exceed MAVs, abstraction of water must be discontinued, an alternative source used, or treatment installed, until the risk is no longer present.
Rule S1.6 - taste or odour complaints (non-reporting rule)
Consumer taste or odour complaints, which have the potential to relate to cyanobacteria, must be:
(a) recorded; and
(b) investigated to determine the cause.
Treatment Rules
The following T1 Treatment Rules apply.
Rule T1.1 - monitoring requirements (monitoring rule)
Water leaving a treatment plant must be monitored at least every 3 months for the following:
(a) E. coli
(b) total coliforms
(c) turbidity
Compliance period: 1 month
Rule T1.2 - monitoring requirements (monitoring rule)
Any additional determinand(s) which are identified as presenting a risk to the supply must be monitored at least every 3 months in water leaving a treatment plant until 3 consecutive results from treated water samples confirm the determinand(s) to be less than 50% of the MAV.
Compliance period: 1 year
Rule T1.3 - water filtering (non-reporting rule)
All water, excluding groundwater abstracted from a depth of greater than 30 metres, must be filtered by a:
(a) cartridge filter system that includes a 5 micron (nominal) or smaller pore size; or
(b) back-washable media filter; or
(c) slow sand (biological) filter; or
(d) membrane filter.
Rule T1.4 - water filtering (non-reporting rule)
Where filtration is used:
(a) the filtration system must be operated within the manufacturer’s design specifications at all times; and
(b) pumps must not be connected directly to the discharge side of any cartridge filter; and
(c) where pumping occurs after filtration, the filtrate must first pass directly to a tank.
Rule T1.5 - UV disinfection (non-reporting rule)
All water passing through a treatment plant must be disinfected with UV light and UV units must:
(a) deliver at least 40 mJ/cm2 (or equivalent) reduction equivalent dose (RED) of UV light; and
(b) be installed, maintained and operated according to the manufacturer’s instructions; and
(c) be certified to (and operate within the specifications of) at least one of the following standards unless purchased before 1 August 2022:
(i) NSF/ANSI 55 Class A (NSF, ANSI n.d):
(ii) Ultraviolet Disinfection Guidance Manual (USEPA 2006b):
(iii) DVGW Technical Standard W294 (DVGW 2006):
(iv) ÖNORM M 5873-1: 2020 01 01; or ÖNORM M5873 (Osterreichisches Normungsinstitut 2001):
(v) DIN 19294-1:2020-08.
Exemptions
For some drinking water suppliers, it might be unreasonable or impractical to comply with the Act and suppliers can apply for an exemption from some requirements.
When seeking an exemption, you’ll need to tell us how the exemption will be consistent with the main purpose of the Act – ensuring that drinking water suppliers provide safe drinking water to consumers. You’ll also need to tell us how you would manage risks affecting your drinking water supply.
Head to the exemptions page for information on types of exemptions and how to apply.
This webpage is intended as a guideline and summarises legal requirements but does not address every requirement under the Water Services Act. It is not intended to be definitive and is not legal advice. Drinking water suppliers are responsible for understanding and complying with their legislative duties. The Authority may review and revise this page over time. If you are using a printed copy, please check the website to make sure it is up to date.