Hastings Mayor says water regulator good news following a hard journey

A new drinking water regulator will provide oversight to the country's drinking water. Photo / File

The government has announced it will be keeping a closer eye on councils' provision of drinking water, with a new watchdog role announced following the Havelock North Inquiry.

A water regulator will be overseeing the country's drinking water systems, as well wastewater and stormwater.

There will also be a new Water Service Bill, which the government aims to introduce by the end of the year, with reforms to drinking water and source water regulations.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it was a positive step forward to the government to take.

"It has been an incredibly hard journey for our community and nearly three years the water contamination, and it was something which must never happen again to our people.

"Having the same rules for everyone is really, really important.

"We just need to make sure we understand the regulatory reform, and we want to be on the right track to meet them as soon as possible."

She said now the council just had to wait for the detail around what was going into the new Water Services Bill.

"We just need to get some more detail... but we totally support the direction the government has been taking."

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta said oversight of water had been split between different agencies for too long.

"That's not giving people the solutions they need to trust their water supplies.

"Today's proposals, featuring the new regulator and regulations, will ensure coherent, safe drinking water supplies with additional oversight of wastewater and stormwater services."

Key features of the proposal include a new water regulator, a Water Services Bill, strengthened Government stewardship of wastewater and stormwater services and transitional arrangements of up to five years to allow water suppliers to adjust to the regulations.

Health Minister David Clark said access to drinking water is the birthright of every New Zealander.

"In line with one of the Inquiry's key recommendations, Cabinet has now agreed to establish a dedicated water regulator who will ensure New Zealanders can have confidence their drinking water is demonstrably safe."

The Havelock North crisis in 2016 saw 5000 people fall ill from drinking water contaminated with campylobacter. At least four deaths have been linked to the crisis.