The Feds say: Is your water up to quality?

We all know where water comes from, don't we?

Consumers are demanding more traceability when it comes to what we eat but, as illustrated by the incident in Havelock North recently, we don't really know where our water comes from.

Yes, it comes from a tap in your house, but where does this critical element of your survival originate from and what happens to it during the journey to your tap?

Within days of the outbreak in Havelock North, multiple 'experts' began a game of finger pointing which would have been little relief and doesn't fix the 5700 people affected.

One fact has been confirmed that the contaminated water has been identified as coming from the Te Mata aquifer.

It was also reported in media that one of the wells at the centre of the contamination crisis was among three in the area that "do not meet the secure drinking water criterion as they could potentially contain fractions of water that is younger than one year".

Young water in the well could very well indicate the bore is not sealed properly.

Contamination may have been caused by groundwater from the land or it could be as simple as feral animal faeces in the water. The priority is to get the water back to safe drinking levels as soon as possible.

Everyone should understand the difference between factual realities and the perceived threats from some lobby groups' hype and hysteria.

We are lucky in this country to have numerous sources of water, but we all need to take responsibility that the water meets the quality levels we demand.

Councils should ensure systems are in place to monitor drinking water and we all have a responsibility to understand what factors can threaten the quality of water.

With this in mind have you ever thought about the origin of your tap water and do you assume it is safe to drink? Are you happy to leave that responsibility to your council?

Think carefully about where you start; where does the water originate, at what point is it collected and where could it be polluted and by what.

If you wish to enter the water quality debate - by all means do - but understand the water supply so you don't make emotive assumptions about its quality.

The often well used line is that farmers pollute the water but is agriculture the only source? Do farmers put giardia in the water? I think not.

Farmers provide their own water supplies so they know the source and life cycle of their water and hence its quality to meet the needs of both humans and stock.

I encourage you to put some good long thought into where your water comes from.

- Rick Powdrell is Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre chairperson