Greens propose bill to publish more drinking water quality data

The Green Party has proposed a bill that would require Taumata Arowai, the Water Services Authority, to publish and regularly update drinking water quality data online.

The proposed bill is titled the Water Services (Increasing Transparency of Quality of Drinking Water and Drinking Water Sources) Amendment Bill. RNZ It would introduce consistent standards for how drinking water information is reported. It would also require the publication of drinking water safety plans, which set out how a supplier manages risks to its water.

Under the bill, monitoring information at the source and at the tap would be published as soon as practicable after a supplier passes it on. The bill would not change which suppliers must report to Taumata Arowai.

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said up to 100,000 people get sick each year from polluted drinking water. She said nitrate pollution is costing ratepayers, the people who pay local council rates, in Ashburton, Selwyn, Waimate and Gore at least $17 million combined. Davidson also said five schools in Otago, Canterbury and Waikato have had to upgrade their water systems to get safe drinking water.

The party released its drinking water, oceans and rivers policy under the name "Drink, Swim, Fish" in July. NZ Herald Davidson said the policy would protect New Zealanders from "harm caused by corporate greed".