DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION OPERATOR STRATEGY & PLANNING - GOVERNANCE, LEGISLATION AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS
Element of Competence:
The Role of the Drinking-water Standards for New Zealand
Context
Drinking Water Distribution Operators are instrumental in ensuring that drinking water supplied to the community is safe to drink. They protect public health by ensuring that the distribution network elements within the supply system meet the Drinking-water Standards for New Zealand (DWSNZ).
Outcome
Safe drinking water is supplied to the community that, at a minimum, complies with the Drinking-water Standards for New Zealand.
To do this, Drinking Water Distribution Operators need to be able to: ▪ Operate the water distribution network in a manner that ensures that each distribution zone within the network complies with the New Zealand Drinking-water Standards (DWSNZ). ▪ Monitor, both manually and continuously, the drinking-water within the distribution network for parameters to assess compliance with the DWSNZ in accordance with the supplier’s monitoring programme. ▪ Verify the overall performance of the drinking water distribution network by confirming that the following has occurred: -
The concentration of a determinant in a sample of the drinking-water does not exceed the MAV or GV more often than is permitted in the DWSNZ.
-
An operational requirement does not move outside its limit for more than its allowed frequency or duration of the compliance monitoring period.
-
The number of measurements made for each compliance criterion is equal to or greater than that specified in the DWSNZ.
-
Sampling, standardising, testing requirements of the DWSNZ.
-
The requirements of the compliance criteria have been met throughout the previous 12 months.
-
The escalation and remedial actions specified in the DWSNZ and the Water Safety Plan have been carried out when there has been a transgression or an excursion beyond an operational requirement.
and
reporting
procedures
meet
the
To do this, Drinking Water Distribution Operators need to know:: ▪ How the New Zealand Drinking-Water Standards provide requirements for drinkingwater safety by specifying the: -
maximum amounts of substances or organisms or contaminants or residues that may be present in drinking-water
-
criteria for demonstrating compliance with the Standards
14