Fact Sheet 10, Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules 2022
Water Supply Categories & Rule Modules
To understand what specific rule or Acceptable Solution to follow, it is important Drinking Water Suppliers understand the most appropriate category of supply that applies to them. This fact sheet is an extract from the relevant information from the Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules 2022 to help suppliers determine their most suitable supply category.
Rule Modules
(Table 1 DWQAR 2022)
General (G), Very Small Communities (VSC), Source (S), Treatment (T), Distribution (D), Water Carrier Services (WC) and Varying Population (VP) modules. Each module S, T, D, have three complexity levels dependent on the size of the supply (1 small, 2 medium, 3 large).
Very Small Communities (VSC)
Very Small Community drinking water supplies can be of any configuration or arrangement (excluding domestic self-supplies) that provide drinking water to a population of up to 25 people. In circumstances when the population supplied fluctuates, the population supplied may increase to up to 50 people for up to 60 days in any 12 month period.
Self-Supplied Buildings (G+S+T)
Self-Supplied Buildings are water supplies (excluding domestic self-supplies) which provide drinking water to up to ten buildings on one site (within the boundaries of one property, or within the boundaries of two or more properties with common ownership arrangements) and provide water to more than 25 people. The Rules have been prepared for Self-supplied Buildings with the following population sizes:
a. Small 26–100 people. Varying Population module requirements can apply to this drinking water supply category.
b. Medium 101–500 people. Varying Population module requirements can apply to this drinking water supply category.
c. Large >500 people.
Community Drinking Water Stations (G+S1+T1)
Community Drinking Water Stations are drinking water supplies that provide drinking water from a single point of supply to a community who collect the water in containers. Public taps or container filling stations that are connected to a Networked Supply (e.g., community taps that provide water which is chlorinated and then dechlorinated) are not considered to be Community Drinking Water Stations.
Networked Supplies (G+S+T+D)
Networked Supplies are drinking water supplies that provide drinking water via a distribution system at a pressure and volume to meet consumer demand, or at a restricted flow and volume. These supplies may include storage facilities within the network to buffer demand. The Rules have been prepared for Networked Supplies with the following population sizes:
1. Small 26–100 people. Varying Population module requirements can apply to this drinking water supply category.
2. Medium 101–500 people. Varying Population module requirements can apply to this drinking water supply category.
3. Large >500 people.
Water Carrier Supplies (G+S1+T1)
Water Carrier Supplies are drinking water supplies that provide water specifically to fill tanker vehicles that are owned or operated by a Water Carrier Service (WC).
Water Carrier Services (G+WC)
Drinking water supplies that involve the transport of drinking water in a vehicle or vessel with a water tank (e.g., a truck, trailer, or rail wagon) and supply to consumers or other drinking water suppliers, often to a storage tank on a property. Typically, WC provide drinking water to houses that have their own supplies but need the quantity of stored water to be augmented. WC can also augment other drinking water supplies, particularly during droughts and emergencies and provide water to planned events. WC that fill tankers from a supply that provides water specifically for WC, must ensure that supply is separately registered and complies with the WC Rules.
All New Zealanders need access to SAFE drinking water.
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