3.5 Safe drinking water

3.5Safe drinking water

The water in most areas of Lake Taupo can currently be drunk untreated. The New Zealand drinking water standards can be used as a guide to the continued health of the water, as they set out the levels of contaminants that are acceptable in drinking water for council water supplies.

What does the community want to achieve?

• Drinking water continues to meet the New

Zealand drinking water standards.

What are the main threats to safe drinking water?

• Water pollution: • from nutrient enrichment from farming (run-off into the Lake) and from sewage • sediment loading (ash) from large volcanic eruption.

• Human health impacts: • pathogens in roof tank water from bird and possum deposits • pathogens in Lake water from septic tanks, pipe failure and stormwater • pathogens in groundwater from surface leakage (inadequate wellhead protection) • toxic algal blooms in Lake water, impairing drinking water quality at source • chemicals in groundwater (contamination,elevated nitrates).

• Quality of life impacts: • sewage pollution in the water • toxic algal blooms. What is currently happening to manage this value?

Environment Waikato is primarily responsible for managing the quality of water resources. However, providing safe reticulated drinking water is the responsibility of TDC. Under the Local Government Act 2002, TDC is required to prepare an assessment of the provision of water supply, to identify the quality and adequacy of the service, current and future demands, health and environmental impacts, options for meeting the demands and the Council’s role in meeting demands (including any proposed or new infrastructure). The Ministry of Health is also currently revising the standards for drinking water supply. Through its LTCCP, TDC has outlined its intent to upgrade treatment to meet the new standards. Therefore, no further new actions were identified.

Key existing Policy documents/actions include

TDC is planning to upgrade the quality of the District’s community water supplies over the next eight years. This project will also address the need to manage the demand for water, to ensure efficient use.

Notes Refer also to Clear water, with regard to stormwater and nutrients and Weed-free Lake in respect to algal blooms.

What can you do to help reduce the threats?

• Cover any outdoors water tanks that you have • If you don’t have access to reticulated water systems, get your water quality tested • If you are building a new house, consider water efficiency measures, such as storing grey water for gardening purposes • Don’t waste water - the more you use, the more that needs to be treated.

How will we know that the value is being protected?

Monitoring indicators that will be used include:

• Faecal organisms • Drinking water contaminants • Toxic algal blooms.

(Refer to Appendix 3 for more details on the monitoring indictors.) What else do we need to know about in the future?

Research into the following areas is identified as a priority:

• Epidemiological study of campylobacter and salmonella in rural water supplies compared with Taupo water supplies • Determine the relationship between algae concentrations and the depth of water to assist in positioning drinking water intakes • Investigate the relationship between algal species, biotoxin production and taste and odour problems in Taupo water supply.

(Note: A description of the research needs and a full ranking of research priorities across all values is shown in the document 2020 Taupo-nui-a-Tia Research Plan by Hall and Matheson).