New campaign launched to keep campers’ drinking water safe this summer

Summer holidays are an important and busy time of year for campgrounds and campsites. With summer coming, the Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai (the Authority) has launched a campaign to help campground and campsite operators take all the right steps to provide safe drinking water for their visitors.

The campaign aims to increase campground and campsite operators’ awareness of their responsibilities if they supply drinking water. It also provides guidance to help them meet those responsibilities.

Head of Sector Advice and Relations at the Authority, Sarah Howard says everyone who supplies drinking water has a duty to ensure it is safe to drink.

“Supplying unsafe water can have serious and even fatal consequences. Earlier this year, six people were hospitalised and over 40 others suffered gastrointestinal illness after drinking E. coli contaminated water at a South Island campground.

“We know it can be challenging for some campground and campsite operators to ensure their drinking water supply is safe. These challenges include varying populations, often no reliable power source and sometimes nobody onsite to communicate to campers.

“There are a number of factors that operators need to be aware of. A key consideration is knowing their water source and how changes to the catchment area can impact its safety – farming, logging, swimming, rainfall and bad weather can all have an effect.

“Campgrounds and campsites with their own water supply should have an effective treatment system that is installed by a drinking water professional and regularly maintained.

“It’s important that operators plan for emergencies. If drinking water treatment fails, they need to be prepared to act immediately to ensure people are safe.

“If the water is not safe to drink, a boil water notice will have to be issued. Many remote campgrounds and campsites across New Zealand rely on boil water notices. Campground operators must ensure boil water signage is visible and up to date.

“The Authority’s campaign page, Providing safe water for campers, has easy to follow guidance for campgrounds and campsite operators on managing risks to water sources, treating water to keep it safe, keeping visitors informed, and preparing for emergencies.

“The Authority has also created resources for camping and tourism associations to share with their members.

“We would like to thank camping and tourism associations and their members for playing their part in ensuring every camper in New Zealand can enjoy safe, refreshing drinking water all summer long,” says Ms Howard.