Looking after your water supply

Winter means wetter soils, deeper drainage, and surface water ponding, all of which pose a risk to a bore’s water quality.

If you haven’t checked your bore recently or tested its water, you probably should. This is to make sure it’s still in good working order and protected from contaminants.

E. coli is just one of the health threats that can enter a drinking water supply, especially after heavy rain. Likewise, depending on their level, contaminants such as nitrate can also pose a problem.

If you own a private drinking water source, please keep in mind that you’re responsible for its maintenance and for testing the water.

Also, if others on the farm in different properties are drinking the water, then by law you’re considered to be the supplier – something that comes with certain responsibilities.

To find out about these responsibilities, get in touch with Taumata Arowai – the water services regulator for Aotearoa New Zealand. You’ll also need to register your water supply with them.

Tips for looking after your supply

To keep your drinking water safe, you should think about what could enter your bore from the surface or from groundwater.

• A ‘must do’ is to have it fenced off from stock – at least five metres away is recommended.
• It’s also best to have the bore located away from areas where chemicals are used, such as fertiliser or pesticides.
• Likewise, things such as compost, rubbish, offal pits, septic tanks, or effluent disposal areas can contaminate surface water through run off or enter groundwater by leaching through the soil.
• Keep the borehead elevated and securely sealed. Ideally, this should be half a metre above ground and surrounded by a concrete apron. Find out more about keeping your bore safe.

The importance of testing

A key take home message is to test the water regularly. We recommend getting an independently accredited IANZ lab to do the analysis. You can find out who and where these are on the Taumata Arowai website.

If you’re concerned about the water quality or if testing shows that the water does not meet drinking water standards, you’ll need to treat the water. Each water supply is different, so we recommend getting specialist advice before doing so.

More information

We realise that farmers have a lot on their plate and a lot is asked of them, and that things are pretty tough out there right now, but please prioritise the health of your property’s drinking water supply.