Questions and answers: proposed changes to drinking water Acceptable Solutions

Acceptable Solutions are currently one possible compliance pathway for some:  

• rural supplies that provide water for farm use (e.g. irrigation, stock) as well as for people to drink 
• drinking water supplies that serve 500 people or fewer.  

Acceptable Solutions enable water to be treated at or near any buildings where people will drink it. This could include using an ‘end-point’ treatment system, which uses filters and ultraviolet (UV) light to disinfect the water. 

For some suppliers, following the requirements of an Acceptable Solution may be a more straightforward and cost-effective way to meet their responsibilities than completing a drinking water safety plan and following the Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules. 

The Acceptable Solutions available today cover a mix of supply types (mixed-use rural) and source water types (spring/bore; roof water), so more than one Acceptable Solution could apply for a single supply. 

To make it easier to figure out whether an Acceptable Solution is right for a supply, we’re proposing changes to the current Acceptable Solutions. One key change proposed is for the Acceptable Solutions to provide requirements for three common types of smaller drinking water supplies: 

• mixed-use rural supplies (at least 50% of water supplied is for farm use (e.g. irrigation, stock) and up to 50% is provided for people to drink) 
• small and medium-sized networked supplies (serving 500 people or fewer)  
• self-supplied buildings. 

These Acceptable Solution documents would be supported by a range of practical, how-to resources.  

Find out more about the proposed changes 

An Acceptable Solution is currently one possible compliance pathway for some:  

• rural supplies that provide water for farm use (e.g. irrigation, stock) as well as for people to drink 
• drinking water supplies that serve 500 people or fewer.  

For a supply to be eligible to follow the ‘mixed-use rural’ acceptable solution: 

• at least 50% of its water must be supplied for farm use (e.g. for irrigation or stock)   
• up to 50% of its water is supplied to local people to use as drinking water.  

Some suppliers have told us that it can be: 

• hard to figure out if following an Acceptable Solution (or another approach like following the Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules) is right for their supplies and community 
• challenging to determine which Acceptable Solution is right for a supply  
• difficult to understand what suppliers need to do to meet Acceptable Solution requirements. 
• So, we’ve proposed some changes to help make Acceptable Solutions easier to use.  

Our aim is to help save suppliers and their communities time, effort and cost, while providing good quality water to the people who drink it every day. 

Find out more about the proposed changes 

The Acceptable Solutions available today cover a mix of supply types (mixed-use rural) and source water types (spring/bore; roof water), so more than one Acceptable Solutions could apply for a single supply.  

To make it easier to figure out whether an Acceptable Solution is right for a supply, we’re proposing that Acceptable Solutions provide requirements for three common types of smaller drinking water supplies: 

• mixed-use rural supplies (at least 50% of water supplied is for farm use (e.g. irrigation, stock) and up to 50% is provided for people to drink) 
• small and medium-sized networked supplies 
• self-supplied buildings. 

These Acceptable Solution documents would be supported by a range of practical, how-to resources.  

A range of other changes are also proposed.  

Read a high-level overview of the three proposed Acceptable Solutions 

Read a high-level overview of key changes  

Visit the consultation webpage for detailed information on what’s proposed and to provide feedback 

These proposed changes aren’t the only way we’ve responded to supplier feedback on Acceptable Solutions.  

Earlier this year, we published a policy statement and flow chart to help clarify supplier responsibilities when using end-point treatment systems under an Acceptable Solution.  

We’ve proposed changes to Acceptable Solutions to respond to drinking water supplier feedback. These proposed changes aim to:  

• make it easier for a supplier to figure out of an Acceptable Solution is right for their supplies and community 
• help save suppliers and their communities time, effort and cost, while providing good quality water to the people who drink it every day.  

Drinking water suppliers may have options to meet their responsibility to provide the communities they serve with safe drinking water.   

One possible option is to follow an Acceptable Solution, which enables suppliers to treat water near the buildings where people will drink it.  

Another option is completing a drinking water safety plan and following the Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules (the Rules). 

Last year, we consulted on and updated the Rules for drinking water supplies that serve 500 people or fewer. These refreshed Rules came into effect on 1 January 2025. 

As part of this change, we have created guidance for very small communities, small supplies and medium supplies to help these suppliers understand what the changes mean for them.   

Visit the consultation webpage to:  

• find out more about the proposed changes to Acceptable Solutions 
• have your say.  

The feedback provided during consultation will help ensure the final Acceptable Solutions provide a clearer pathway to compliance for more suppliers and good quality drinking water for more people across New Zealand. 

This consultation closes at 5pm on Friday, 13 June 2025.