Water, water everywhere, nor any fit to drink

MIKE WATSON/Dominion Post

A WEE DROP: Mayor Rick Cooper enjoys a glass of water from Lake Taupo - an extra $6m is needed to build more reservoirs and $50m to upgrade the main water treatment stations.

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Ratepayers could have to pay $56 million to upgrade a water supply rated as a public health risk by the Health Ministry.

Taupo's six water supply locations have been rated grade D or E - or "unsatisfactory level of risk".

In comparison, Tauranga and Dunedin have A1 graded water, or "negligible level of risk".

A council water strategy report outlining improvements to Taupo's water treatment will be discussed at a full council meeting today.

The strategy includes increasing storage and halving use - average consumption is at present double the accepted amount. Extra reservoirs will have to be built to provide 48 hours of backup storage water in case of emergency.

An extra $6 million is needed to build more reservoirs and $50 million to upgrade the six main water treatment stations.

Demand for water is estimated to increase 50 per cent by 2041.

Supply and treatment upgrades are required under the Health (Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2007, which became law on July 1.

Taupo's water is sourced from the lake and treated by filtering and chlorination, but the treatment does not guard against giardia or cryptosporidium.

Mayor Rick Cooper said the compliances required were "political correctness gone mad".

"To have perfectly safe water we would have to put a cover over the whole lake."

Council infrastructure manager Ted Anderson said the council had known since 1995 the water supply would need to be upgraded.

Quality, storage and distribution facilities would be improved at the cheapest possible cost to ratepayers, he said.

"Taupo was unusual for its size for having non-compliant drinking water supply schemes ... the large influx of tourists over the summer exposed more people to drinking water supplied from non-compliant schemes."

A major disease outbreak associated with drinking water would harm Taupo's clean green image.

"The council, as the water supplier, must take all steps to protect the water source and provide an adequate supply and wholesome drinking water."

The council has not traditionally treated drinking water to reduce the public health risk and water supplies had never complied with minimum standards, he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News