More than 432,000 people now have access to safer drinking water
Since late 2023, 432,000 more New Zealander have safer drinking water after council suppliers have installed essential treatment barriers in locations across the country.
Since late 2023, 432,000 more New Zealander have safer drinking water after council suppliers have installed essential treatment barriers in locations across the country.
The Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai has been working with council drinking water suppliers to ensure essential treatment barriers are in place to protect public health. These barriers - including protozoa treatment, bacterial treatment and residual disinfection - make up a multi-barrier approach, designed to make drinking water safe and keep it safe as it travels through pipes to the people who drink it.
In 2023, the Authority advised 29 council drinking water suppliers whose supplies lacked one or more critical barriers of its expectation that they provide a funded plan for implementing these barriers. At the time, this involved 98 supplies (drinking water sources).
Local and central government suppliers provide drinking water to approximately 84 percent of New Zealanders, making these improvements significant for public health nationwide.
As of March 2026, critical treatment barriers are now operational at 59 drinking water supplies managed by 19 councils, improving protection for 432,700 people. Twelve councils have now completed installation of all required barriers across all their supplies.
Steve Taylor, Head of Operations for the Authority says council suppliers have made significant progress over the past two years, and the Authority is focused on ensuring all supplies have required treatment barriers in place.
“Access to safe drinking water is not optional. Treatment barriers are a core requirement of a safe supply. Contaminants in drinking water can lead to a large number of people getting sick, and the inactivation of bacteria and protozoa help prevent this from happening.
“The Authority wants to acknowledge the councils that have prioritised drinking water safety. Many have had a significant programme of work to deliver in a short timeframe. Upgrading drinking water infrastructure requires substantial investment. We recognise and appreciate the effort and resources councils have committed to this work.”
At the beginning of this programme of work, Taupō District Council had 11 supplies requiring protozoa barrier installations and committed to a programme of work estimated at $55 million. Protozoa barriers have now been installed on nearly all supplies and construction of a new water treatment plant is underway at Motuoapa to bring it up to standard. It is expected to be completed in September 2026. Projects are also underway to replace temporary protozoa barriers with fully compliant solutions at three of the supplies including a new plant to serve the Hatepe community.
Steve Taylor says the multi-barrier approach is critical.
“No single treatment barrier protects against every type of contamination. Chlorine, for example, is effective against bacteria and viruses but does not protect against protozoa. Protozoa can be removed through filtration or inactivated using ultraviolet treatment. Different barriers address different risks."
Steve Taylor says further progress is expected this year. “There is still work to do. Eleven supplies serving 3,144 people are in the process of implementing their funded plans and are expected to complete this work by July 2026. A further 22 supplies serving 8,178 people will take longer to install all required safety barriers. We will continue to monitor progress closely and ensure suppliers are undertaking the necessary work throughout the year.”
Three councils – Waitaki District Council (Stoneburn and Bushy Creek supplies), Marlborough District Council (Awatere supply), and Tasman District Council (Dovedale supply) – are yet to provide a sufficient plan for installing multi-barrier protection for these drinking water supplies.
As mixed-use rural supplies, these suppliers were given additional time to take advantage of changes in Acceptable Solutions, which allow for a lower cost compliance approach, before the revised Acceptable Solutions were released. The Authority has now sent formal directions to these councils to provide a programme of work and funded plan to ensure these critical drinking water barriers are in place at these supplies for their communities.
More information
Over 227,000 more people now have access to safer drinking water - 11 March 2025
Suppliers make progress implementing critical treatment barriers – 10 September 2024
Multi-barrier approach to drinking water safety
Chlorine and safe drinking water
What is a protozoa barrier?
While chlorine can kill bacteria and viruses in drinking water, it doesn’t protect against protozoa.
Protozoa are single-celled parasites, like cryptosporidium and giardia, that can make people sick. But they can be removed from water using some filters or inactivated using ultraviolet light, so that they don’t pose a health risk.
These filters and UV (ultraviolet) treatment tools are known as protozoa barriers because they help prevent protozoa from making people sick.
What is a bacterial barrier?
A bacterial barrier is used during the primary disinfection stage in the drinking water treatment process. It’s designed to remove, kill or deactivate bacteria present in water that’s been collected from lakes, rivers, aquifers or rainwater. The most common bacterial barriers are chlorination, UV treatment and some types of filters.
What is residual disinfection?
Once water has been treated, it needs to be sent out to people – usually through pipes. Things like damage to drinking water pipes create an opportunity for bacteria to contaminate treated drinking water. So, a small amount of chlorine is also added when drinking water leaves the treatment plant to keep treated water safe as it travels from the treatment plant to people. In the water services sector, this is called residual disinfection