Editorial: Drink water? Improve it first

Anna Wallis PHOTO/FILE

There's been quite a reaction online to the switch to water campaign.

No doubt the discussion on websites has been duplicated in kitchens and living rooms round the country. Drink Wanganui water? You're joking.

The Whanganui District Health Board is joining a campaign led by the New Zealand Dental Association to get people to drink water - and water only - for a month.

It's a good idea to try and reduce the number of sugary drinks drunk and reduce tooth decay.

But the problem is, as people have vociferously pointed out, Wanganui water is terrible to drink from the tap. And that's a health issue right there.

As one person said on Facebook, the article should be about improving the quality of drinking water in Whanganui before encouraging people to drink it. Another was succinct: "WTF, Whanganui water, Is this a Tui ad?"

There are parts of Wanganui that get better tasting drinking water with less lime in it. And many people know the arduous history of trying to get a better supply by testing bores across the city.

A lot of people comment they would love to join the campaign but don't want to pay for bottled water.

And there are ways round it besides buying water. Filter kits are becoming cheaper, as are rain water tanks - relatively.

And it should be noted Wanganui's water meets all the standards required. The Ministry of Health has given Wanganui's drinking water an Aa grading after it upgraded the water supply with the Westmere bores. That just means there are no nasties in it, not that it tastes good or its hard/soft quality.

It's probably something we are going to live with for some time, and people do. The first visitor at the house when I first moved to the city was the water truck man.

But yes, it would be easier for the Switch to Water campaign if sweet tasting water was at the turn of a sink tap.