Top water... on tap

Any household on tap water from the Te Marua or Wainuiomata water treatment plants can be assured that their drinking water is some of the best in the land.

"No other city in New Zealand has water that meets the same treatment standard as ours. It's an outstanding achievement and makes our water pretty special," says Cr Rex Kirton, Chairman of Greater Wellington's Parks, Forests and Utilities Committee.

The high standard of our cities' drinking water is just one item amongst the good news in Greater Wellington's recently released water supply annual report.

All of Greater Wellington's treatment plants are continuing to meet the Ministry of Health's drinking water standards, with water from the Te Marua and Wainuiomata water treatment plants maintaining the highest possible Ministry of Health A1 grading.

The annual report also notes that Greater Wellington has kept the cost of bulk water to the region's cities under control - 2008/09 is the 11th time in the last 12 years the cost to cities has been held or cut. And power and chemical use efficiency projects are continuing to deliver operating cost savings, with the savings used to pay off debt on infrastructure.

For copies of the report, see www.gw.govt.nz/water