Finding and using an accredited laboratory to test your drinking water

To demonstrate compliance with the Drinking Water Standardsoutbound and keep an eye on any other known risks with your drinking water supply, you need to monitor the quality of your drinking-water by taking water samples and having them analysed.  

All registered drinking water suppliers must use an accredited laboratory to analyse source water, raw water and drinking water as part of any monitoring requirements.  

The Water Services Authority - Taumata Arowai has appointed International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) as the accreditation body for laboratories under the Water Services Act 2021outbound.  

If test results indicate that drinking water does not comply with the drinking water standards or compliance rules, accredited laboratories will notify the Authority and the drinking water supplier as soon as practicable. 

If they are registered, the drinking water supplier must then comply with their statutory duties, most importantly taking immediate action to protect public health, notifying us and taking all practicable steps to advise consumers of the issue and what they should do to protect their health (for example, boiling their drinking water).