Water Suppliers
Regulations for Water Suppliers.
There is a lot of change happening in the Water sector to help ensure all New Zealanders have access to healthy drinking water. New laws, rules and governance can be confusing and a lot to understand, so ALS Analytica wants to help simplify what it means to be a water supplier and what new regulations apply to you.
Are you questioning if you are a Water Supplier?
Quite simply if you supply drinking water to more than your single household you are considered now to be a drinking water supplier and are subject to the Water Services Act.
What does it mean to be a drinking water supplier?
If you are an unregistered supplier, you have until the 15th of November 2025 to register with Taumata Arowai and have an additional 3 years to provide a drinking water safety plan.
If you are a current registered supplier or you are commissioning a new drinking water supply the compliance times are different; you must provide Taumata Arowai water safety plan prior to supplying water to consumers.
ALS Analytica and Water Testing Hawkes Bay are fully equipped to help with all testing requirements under the new 3 Waters Reform and are always happy to help with any questions.
Registered supply or not all suppliers currently have a duty to supply safe drinking water to their communities. ALS Analytica and Water Testing Hawkes Bay can provide a regular testing regime to help with this assurance.
There are different levels of drinking water suppliers, and each have a different responsibility when it comes to testing.
Drinking Water Supplier Categories
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If you are a domestic supply by the definitions below, you are exempt from these testing regulations. Domestic self-supply means a stand-alone domestic dwelling that has its own supply of drinking water.
Examples of this:
- A single property with tenants on a lease that is supplied by a rainwater tank
- A single holiday house that is supplied by a rainwater tank and is rented to tourists on a short-term basis is a domestic self-supply.
- a property with two dwellings that each have their own separate water supply (e.g. one from a bore and one from roof water collection)
Even though you are not required you may still want to ensure you self-suppling safe drinking water. We can help with this quality assurance; see Domestic Water Testing for more information -
A Very Small Community (VSC) is an arrangement that provides drinking water to up to 25 people (excluding domestic self-supplies). The population supplied may increase to up to 50 people for up to 60 days in any 12-month period. The Assurance rules for this population level requires 6 monthly testing for E. coli and total coliforms by an IANZ accredited laboratory. ALS Analytica and Water Testing Hawkes Bay are IANZ accredited.
Example of this:
- Neighbours that share a water source – farm houses, baches etc
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Self-supplied Buildings are water supplies (excluding domestic self-supplies) which provide drinking water to up to ten buildings on one site (within the boundaries of one property, or within the boundaries of two or more properties with common ownership arrangements) and provide water to more than 25 people. Regulations vary depending on population size:
- Small 26 – 100 people. Varying Population module requirements can apply to this drinking water supply category.
- Medium 101 – 500 people. Varying Population module requirements can apply to this drinking water supply category.
- Large >500 people
Testing will require a mixture of microbiology testing and chemical testing. For further details visit https://www.taumataarowai.govt.nz/for-water-suppliers/new-compliance-rules-and-standards/
Alternatively, you can contact us, and we are more than happy to help guide you.
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You are a Networked Supply if you provide drinking water to more than 25 people via a distribution system, either at a pressure and volume to meet demand or at a restricted flow and volume. The supply can include storage within the network to help with demand. Regulations vary depending on population size:
- Small 26 – 100 people. Varying Population module requirements can apply to this drinking water supply category.
- Medium 101 – 500 people. Varying Population module requirements can apply to this drinking water supply category.
- Large >500 people
Testing will require a mixture of microbiology testing and chemical testing. For further details visit https://www.taumataarowai.govt.nz/for-water-suppliers/new-compliance-rules-and-standards/
Alternatively, you can contact us, and we are more than happy to help guide you.
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There are also supplier categories for:
- Water Carrier Services
- Water Carrier Supplies
- Community Drinking Water Stations
- Temporary Drinking Water Supplies
If these categories apply to you contact us for more information and we will be more than happy to help guide you.
