The Water Services Act came into effect and became law on 15 November 2021. Taumata Arowai took over from the Ministry of Health as regulator of drinking water for Aotearoa. All statutory timeframes are from that date.
- Registered supplies need to review and update contact and supply details.
- Unregistered supplies have up to 7 years to register (15 November 2028) and 9 years to comply with the Act (15 November 2030).
- Any new supply requires immediate registration and compliance with the Act
Registration needs to be renewed every five years to confirm any change of details of the supply, such as contacts, quantity supplied, new sources, treatment, etc. Suppliers will also re-confirm that their Drinking Water Safety Plan is up to date, or provide Taumata Arowai with an updated one, when they re-register five-yearly.
Registration, communication, and notifications with Taumata Arowai are via Hinekōrako, the online self-service portal.
Unregistered supplies and new supplies will need to create their account and registration in Hinekōrako directly.
All New Zealanders need access to SAFE drinking water.
Download this free guide to help understand the Reform of the Water Sector (Drinking Water) in New Zealand and the new Water Services Act 2021.