Three Waters debate drowning out the real issue

Whatever new system we adopt, public health and environmental needs have to be kept as a central focus to reduce the risk of another crisis like the Havelock North campylobacter outbreak, University of Otago Professor Michael Baker says

Clean drinking water and effective sewage disposal (sanitation) is fundamental to public health, so much so that we take them for granted. That is why the Havelock North campylobacter outbreak in August 2016 was such a shock.

It was caused by surface water contaminated with sheep faeces entering the untreated drinking water system, resulting in an estimated 8320 infections, 58 hospitalisations, and at least four deaths, making it the largest campylobacter outbreak ever reported.

The subsequent Havelock North Drinking Water Inquiry recommended a major overhaul of drinking water supply in New Zealand, which was subsequently broadened into the Three Waters Reform Programme.

Debate around the proposed Three Waters reforms has mostly focused on anti-cogovernance arguments, and concerns around the loss of local control of water infrastructure. This has overshadowed the original reason for the reforms, one of which is to ensure safe, good quality drinking water is available for all.

There are multiple public health and environmental problems and threats that these reforms need to address, in addition to reducing the risk of a repeat Havelock North outbreak: • Regular microbial contamination of drinking water systems, particularly following floods which are becoming more common with climate disruption, resulting in frequent breaches of the drinking water standards and boil water notices. • Concerns about intensified farming and increasing microbial contamination of source water, including with protozoa (cryptosporidia and giardia) which are harder to remove from drinking water with conventional methods. • Increasing levels of nitrate contamination of drinking water, particularly in intensively farmed areas, from application

of nitrate fertiliser and urine from cattle. • Problems with monitoring of fluoride levels, as seen in Wellington, and potentially an issue in other supply systems. • Concerns over lead contamination of drinking water, as seen in Dunedin, and potentially in other water distribution zones. • Inequalities in access to clean drinking water with smaller rural and more deprived communities having poorer access. • Wider environmental issues, including sedimentation, and nutrient, bacterial, and heavy metal contamination of freshwater and coastal areas which causes direct ecosystem damage, and potential human health effects.

Whatever new regulatory and deliver system we adopt, it will be important that these public health and environmental needs are kept as a central focus.

The Havelock North Drinking Water Inquiry emphasises the need for a highly systematic approach to improving the quality and safety of drinking water. A similar need applies to wastewater and stormwater management.

The first part of the water reforms has already been operating for a year. Taumata Arowai became New Zealand’s dedicated regulator of drinking water when the Water Services Act came into effect on 15 November 2021.

It published a Statement of Intent for 2022 – 2026. Key outputs we can expect from this agency are a comprehensive monitoring system of drinking water quality, and drinking water standards that incorporate the best scientific evidence we have about the health effects of contaminants such as nitrates.

There will need to be a strong focus on addressing major upstream risks to the safety of drinking water supplies, such as increased intensification of pastoral farming and climate disruption.