New national water regulator welcomed by Hawke's Bay mayors

Havelock North's campylobacter outbreak has led to a new national water regulator. Photo / File

A bill drafted after the 2016 Havelock North campylobacter outbreak to create a national drinking water regulator has passed into law.

Both Hastings and Napier's mayor on Friday welcomed the passing of Taumata Arowai – the Water Services Regulator Bill - which will see a new regulatory body to oversee, administer and enforce a new and strengthened drinking water regulatory system.

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta said it will lead to safer and sustainable drinking water for all New Zealanders,

"In 2016 more than 5000 people in Havelock North got sick as a result of drinking public water supplies. Up to four people died. Many more had long-term illnesses from the campylobacter outbreak.

"This is inexcusable in a developed country such as ours, and our Government has acted decisively to minimise the risks of such events happening in future.''

The Government Inquiry into Havelock North Drinking Water concluded there were systemic failings in the existing regulatory framework for drinking water and recommended that a dedicated water regulator be formed.

Taumata Arowai, a new stand-alone Crown agent, is the result and it will also have a national oversight role to improve the environmental performance of stormwater and wastewater networks.

Mahuta said the name set an expectation that the authority of this new national regulator will maintain a level of vigilance about the health and wellbeing of our water infrastructure.

"The establishment of Taumata Arowai will go a long way to ensuring that New Zealanders throughout the country, and our visitors, can have confidence that when they turn on the tap, the water is safe to drink.

"People also need to be able to swim in our rivers and lakes or go to the beach and collect kai moana without fear of getting sick."

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the council and community had been on a journey together to upgrade water infrastructure.

"The Havelock North water crisis taught our council, our community and the country the true value of water, and how we must ensure that such a crisis never happens again.

"It taught us how we must be vigilant to care for it, protect it and invest in it through robustly managed infrastructure, and to safeguard its quality ahead of much higher New Zealand drinking water quality standards that will be introduced.

"We look forward to working with Taumata Arowai, and inviting them to Hastings to share our knowledge and lessons learned with them."

Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said the passing of this Bill is the next step in the reform of our drinking water regulatory system.

"We look forward to working alongside Taumata Arowai over the coming years for the ongoing provision of safe drinking water to our community."