Over 700,000 New Zealanders could be drinking unsafe water, a new report shows.
4pm – Hastings District Council ‘will read the report with interest’ Hastings District Council says the inquiry’s recommendations will be helpful.
Chief Executive Ross McLeod said Hastings District Council has responded to all the criticisms raised in the Stage 1 report.
"Since the outbreak there had continued to be reports of E.coli in water supplies throughout Hawke’s Bay.
This continuously puts at risk the health of those communities," Chief executive Kevin Snee said in a press release.
"Therefore, I was heartened to see the recommendation that – CEOs of DHBs (with Public health responsibilities) should advise drinking water suppliers that all supplies should be effectively treated pending any change to the law…" 3pm – ‘Major reform urgently needed’ Water New Zealand is calling on the Government to implement the recommendations made in the report.
2pm – The report is released The inquiry recommends a number of urgent measures, including asking the Director-General of Health to persuade suppliers not to rely on "current ‘secure’ bore water classifications".
"The inquiry found that 80 percent of residents have access to water which meets current standards.
The findings come from the second stage of a Government inquiry into the Havelock North water poisoning that saw 5,500 people become ill from drinking contaminated water.
The water was not disinfected with chlorine or UV treatment, so drinkers consumed the bacteria.