Taumata Arowai sets compliance goals for Kaeo’s water supply

The Kāeo water supplier has agreed to provide a plan to ensure safe drinking water soon after a visit from Taumata Arowai. Photo / Yolisa Tswanya

Water Services Authority Taumata Arowai has outlined expectations to Kaeo’s drinking water supplier following a visit.

Authority officers met with the Kāeo drinking water supply operator, Bryce Aldridge, following the town’s longstanding water issues.

Earlier this year, the authority stepped in to assess the situation in Kāeo after it was revealed, by the Northern Advocate, that the town has been under a boil water notice for nearly a decade.

The Far North town was placed under a boil water notice in 2015, after a public health notice declared Kāeo’s water supply temporarily unsafe and advised drinking water should be boiled for two minutes.

Both the supplier and the authority said the visit went well last week and they would be working together to get the town safe drinking water.

At the meeting, the authority outlined expectations for achieving compliance and the supplier has agreed to provide the authority with a plan on how he intends to meet expectations.

Authority head of operations Steve Taylor said expectation was for the supplier to be able to supply safe drinking water for consumers.

“This is the priority. This means having the appropriate treatment barriers installed and operating effectively in as short a time as possible, so affected consumers have access to safe drinking water without needing to boil it. We are in discussions with the supplier on funding, installation, and commissioning requirements.”

Discussions with the supplier in Kāeo focused on what is required to achieve safe drinking water in the supply and Taylor said the supplier has agreed to provide the authority with a plan of how expectations will be met within an agreed timeframe.

“We will be following up our expectations with the supplier. We are aware of the particular funding constraints that the supplier has.”

The authority has a range of compliance tools available for when suppliers are unable or unwilling to meet compliance obligations, Taylor added.

“Our immediate focus is to work with this supplier to help ensure that safe drinking water can be delivered to consumers.”

Aldridge said the meeting was long overdue and he was glad things were moving forward in a positive direction.

“We finished the meeting and it was very successful.”

Aldridge previously said he has a plan in mind to resolve the water notice and would now be sharing that plan with the authority.