Glenkenich supply fails standards

A CLUTHA district drinking water supply is the only one in the South Island to fail all the Ministry of Health’s standards.

The ministry released its annual report on drinking water quality late last month. The information related to water supplies around the country from July 1, 2016 to June 30 last year.

Glenkenich rural supply, which services 705 residents, was noncompliant with the standards for bacteria, protozoa and chemical levels.

Less than a third of small supplies, which provide drinking water to populations between 101 and 500 people, met the ministry’s standard around the country.

That includes popular tourist destination Milford Sound, which has a population of 350 people and will have one million tourist visits next year.

Its water supply failed to comply with bacteria and protozoa levels.

The privately owned company, Mil ford Sound Infrastructure, that owns and operates water supply networks in the area, was yet to respond to interview requests from RNZ.

Overall, 81.1% of New Zealanders received drinking water that met the standards.

Other water supplies that failed on all three counts include Feilding in the Manawatu district, Acacia Bay in the Taupo district, and Retihi and Waiouru townships in the Ruapehu district. —RNZ