Water standard in Matamata
Tim made this Official Information request to Matamata-Piako District Council
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From: Tim
Dear Matamata-Piako District Council,
In the report https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/...
It states:
“ The water supply uses mixed sources. It is chlorinated and parts of the supply are treated by UV. A temporary boil-water notice was issued during the reporting period.
Matamata failed the bacteriological Standards because sampling was inadequate. It failed the protozoal Standards because turbidity levels at times were too high, some process measurements exceeded limits and the infrastructure available was inadequate.”
Please provide correspondence relating to Matamata ward water supplies, including information on if the council organisation considers the drinking water safe to drink for general consumption, what science this is based on, and any correspondence relating to managing the risks associated to having a town water supply that is deemed unsafe (for example bacterial standards not met) from health.govt.nz
Other information could include how the council organisation considers water to be safe even though government monitor reports it not to meet the standards they suggest, and the meeting minutes discussing this.
Yours faithfully,
Tim
Matamata-Piako District Council
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Matamata Piako District Council Customer Services
Email: [Matamata-Piako District Council request email]
Phone: 0800 RINGMPDC (0800 746 467)
Website: [1]http://www.mpdc.govt.nz
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From: Ellie Mackintosh
Matamata-Piako District Council
Dear Tim
We have received your enquiry regarding water standards in the Matamata
ward including;
* if the council organisation considers the drinking water safe to drink
for general consumption,
* what science this is based on, and
* any correspondence relating to managing the risks associated to having
a town water supply that is deemed unsafe, and
* how the council organisation considers water to be safe even though
government monitor reports it not to meet the standards they suggest,
and any meeting minutes discussing this.
Your request will be processed in accordance with the provisions of the
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 ("Act"). As
required under section 13(1) of the Act we will respond to your request as
soon as reasonably practicable and no later than 20 working days. The
Ombudsmans website calculates this date to be 2 June 2021.
If you have any questions relating to your request or wish to clarify any
matters contained in your request please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind Regards
Ellie
Ellie Mackintosh | Legal Advisor
Matamata-Piako District Council 35 Kenrick Street, PO Box 266, Te Aroha
3342
p 07 884 0060 | w [1]www.mpdc.govt.nz
For up to date Ministry of Health guidelines around COVID-19, please visit
their website [2]www.covid19.govt.nz
Please consider the environment before printing this email
show quoted sections
From: Ellie Mackintosh
Matamata-Piako District Council
Dear Tim
Thank-you for your enquiry regarding water standards is Matamata.
Council has recently received the 2019/2020 compliance report from the
Waikato District Health Board.
Below is an extract from this report showing the current compliance status
of the Matamata treatment plants and distribution zone.
On average the Matamata township consumes 1850 m3 of water per day.
In regards to the specific questions you asked, “if the council
organisation considers the drinking water safe to drink for general
consumption”, Council will not be supplying their opinion on the matter,
we will follow what the research has stated outlined in the current MOH
report.
Regarding your question about the scientific basis for this assessment,
Council plays no part in the development of the Drinking Water Standards
(the standards). The standards are developed by the Ministry of Health. If
you would like to understand how scientific research has influenced the
development of the standards and the limits within, I would encourage you
to contact the Ministry of Health directly.
Finally you requested, “any correspondence relating to managing the risks
associated to having a town water supply that is deemed unsafe, and how
the council organisation considers water to be safe even though government
monitor reports it not to meet the standards they suggest, and any meeting
minutes discussing this”. On page 126 of our Annual Report 2019/20 this
drinking water report is noted and the Annual Report states the following
response regarding the non-compliant status
“The Waikato District Health Board (DHB) determines compliance for
Councils supply and delivery of water to our communities. These results
are published in the Ministry of Health Annual Report on Drinking-water
Quality. The 2019/2020 results reported here are provisional, pending the
official annual compliance report from the Waikato DHB Drinking Water
Assessor. All non-conformances will be addressed by the Medical Officer of
Health at the Waikato DHB, who will request updates from Council on how
the non-conformances will be addressed, to ensure compliance during the
2020/2021 compliance period. Part 5 – protozoa compliance – Council will
continue to work on and invest in achieving (Part 5) compliance for
protozoa removal. In order to address this issue, Council has a number of
projects in the long term plant targeted at improving plant control and
data capture. These projects will be delivered over a number of years,
bringing year on year improvements in compliance with Part 5 Protozoa
standards. It is important to note that a non-compliant status does not
mean that protozoa are present in drinking water.”
If you are dissatisfied with the information received, you have the right,
by way of making a complaint to an Ombudsman (under section 27(3) of the
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987), to seek an
investigation and review of Council’s decision, more information on this
process can be found at [1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
Kind Regards
Ellie
Ellie Mackintosh | Legal Advisor
Matamata-Piako District Council 35 Kenrick Street, PO Box 266, Te Aroha
3342
p 07 884 0060 | w [2]www.mpdc.govt.nz
For up to date Ministry of Health guidelines around COVID-19, please visit
their website [3]www.covid19.govt.nz
Please consider the environment before printing this email
_____________________________________________
From: Ellie Mackintosh
Sent: Thursday, 06 May 2021 10:07
To: 'Tim' <[FOI #15363 email]>
Subject: Acknowledgement - LGOIMA - Water Standard in Matamata
Dear Tim
We have received your enquiry regarding water standards in the Matamata
ward including;
* if the council organisation considers the drinking water safe to drink
for general consumption,
* what science this is based on, and
* any correspondence relating to managing the risks associated to having
a town water supply that is deemed unsafe, and
* how the council organisation considers water to be safe even though
government monitor reports it not to meet the standards they suggest,
and any meeting minutes discussing this.
Your request will be processed in accordance with the provisions of the
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 ("Act"). As
required under section 13(1) of the Act we will respond to your request as
soon as reasonably practicable and no later than 20 working days. The
Ombudsmans website calculates this date to be 2 June 2021.
If you have any questions relating to your request or wish to clarify any
matters contained in your request please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind Regards
Ellie
Ellie Mackintosh | Legal Advisor
Matamata-Piako District Council 35 Kenrick Street, PO Box 266, Te Aroha
3342
p 07 884 0060 | w [4]www.mpdc.govt.nz
For up to date Ministry of Health guidelines around COVID-19, please visit
their website [5]www.covid19.govt.nz
Please consider the environment before printing this email
show quoted sections
From: Ellie Mackintosh
Matamata-Piako District Council
Hi Tim
Just made one small update in our response below. The initial response
stated On average the Matamata township consumes 1850 m3 of water per
day. This is incorrect and should say 3640m3 of water per day.
Kind Regards
Ellie
Ellie Mackintosh | Legal Advisor
Matamata-Piako District Council 35 Kenrick Street, PO Box 266, Te Aroha
3342
p 07 884 0060 | ext 7791 | w [1]www.mpdc.govt.nz
For up to date Ministry of Health guidelines around COVID-19, please visit
their website [2]www.covid19.govt.nz
Please consider the environment before printing this email
_____________________________________________
From: Ellie Mackintosh
Sent: Friday, 28 May 2021 4:37
To: 'Tim' <[FOI #15363 email]>
Subject: Final Response - LGOIMA - Water Standard in Matamata
Dear Tim
Thank-you for your enquiry regarding water standards is Matamata.
Council has recently received the 2019/2020 compliance report from the
Waikato District Health Board.
Below is an extract from this report showing the current compliance status
of the Matamata treatment plants and distribution zone.
<< OLE Object: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) >>
On average the Matamata township consumes 1850 m3 3640m3 of water per
day.
In regards to the specific questions you asked, “if the council
organisation considers the drinking water safe to drink for general
consumption”, Council will not be supplying their opinion on the matter,
we will follow what the research has stated outlined in the current MOH
report.
Regarding your question about the scientific basis for this assessment,
Council plays no part in the development of the Drinking Water Standards
(the standards). The standards are developed by the Ministry of Health. If
you would like to understand how scientific research has influenced the
development of the standards and the limits within, I would encourage you
to contact the Ministry of Health directly.
Finally you requested, “any correspondence relating to managing the risks
associated to having a town water supply that is deemed unsafe, and how
the council organisation considers water to be safe even though government
monitor reports it not to meet the standards they suggest, and any meeting
minutes discussing this”. On page 126 of our Annual Report 2019/20 this
drinking water report is noted and the Annual Report states the following
response regarding the non-compliant status
“The Waikato District Health Board (DHB) determines compliance for
Councils supply and delivery of water to our communities. These results
are published in the Ministry of Health Annual Report on Drinking-water
Quality. The 2019/2020 results reported here are provisional, pending the
official annual compliance report from the Waikato DHB Drinking Water
Assessor. All non-conformances will be addressed by the Medical Officer of
Health at the Waikato DHB, who will request updates from Council on how
the non-conformances will be addressed, to ensure compliance during the
2020/2021 compliance period. Part 5 – protozoa compliance – Council will
continue to work on and invest in achieving (Part 5) compliance for
protozoa removal. In order to address this issue, Council has a number of
projects in the long term plant targeted at improving plant control and
data capture. These projects will be delivered over a number of years,
bringing year on year improvements in compliance with Part 5 Protozoa
standards. It is important to note that a non-compliant status does not
mean that protozoa are present in drinking water.”
If you are dissatisfied with the information received, you have the right,
by way of making a complaint to an Ombudsman (under section 27(3) of the
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987), to seek an
investigation and review of Council’s decision, more information on this
process can be found at [3]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
Kind Regards
Ellie
Ellie Mackintosh | Legal Advisor
Matamata-Piako District Council 35 Kenrick Street, PO Box 266, Te Aroha
3342
p 07 884 0060 | w [4]www.mpdc.govt.nz
For up to date Ministry of Health guidelines around COVID-19, please visit
their website [5]www.covid19.govt.nz
Please consider the environment before printing this email
_____________________________________________
From: Ellie Mackintosh
Sent: Thursday, 06 May 2021 10:07
To: 'Tim' <[FOI #15363 email]>
Subject: Acknowledgement - LGOIMA - Water Standard in Matamata
Dear Tim
We have received your enquiry regarding water standards in the Matamata
ward including;
* if the council organisation considers the drinking water safe to drink
for general consumption,
* what science this is based on, and
* any correspondence relating to managing the risks associated to having
a town water supply that is deemed unsafe, and
* how the council organisation considers water to be safe even though
government monitor reports it not to meet the standards they suggest,
and any meeting minutes discussing this.
Your request will be processed in accordance with the provisions of the
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 ("Act"). As
required under section 13(1) of the Act we will respond to your request as
soon as reasonably practicable and no later than 20 working days. The
Ombudsmans website calculates this date to be 2 June 2021.
If you have any questions relating to your request or wish to clarify any
matters contained in your request please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind Regards
Ellie
Ellie Mackintosh | Legal Advisor
Matamata-Piako District Council 35 Kenrick Street, PO Box 266, Te Aroha
3342
p 07 884 0060 | w [6]www.mpdc.govt.nz
For up to date Ministry of Health guidelines around COVID-19, please visit
their website [7]www.covid19.govt.nz
Please consider the environment before printing this email
show quoted sections
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