Appendix 1: Definitions

Abstraction point

The point at which water that is intended to be used for drinking is abstracted from the source water. The water then comes under the control of the drinking-water supplier (and is therefore subject to the proposed public health legislation).

Catchment

The area from which water for a drinking-water supply is obtained.

Community drinking-water supply

A publicly or privately owned drinking-water supply that serves more than 25 people at least 60 days of the year.

Drinking-water Standards for New Zealand (DWSNZ)

A yardstick to assess the quality of drinking-water. The DWSNZ define the maximum acceptable values (MAVs) of health significant determinands and specify methods for determining whether a drinking-water supply complies with the DWSNZ.

Drinking-water

Water intended to be used for human consumption, food preparation, utensil washing, oral or personal hygiene.

Drinking-water source

For the purpose of this standard, a human drinking-water source is a natural water body (lake, river or groundwater) used to supply a community with drinking-water.

Potable water

Drinking-water that does not contain any determinands that exceed the MAVs set out in the public health legislation.

Raw water

Water intended for drinking that is after the abstraction point but has not yet received treatment to make it suitable for drinking (and is therefore subject to the proposed public health legislation).

Source water

Water intended to become drinking-water but that is still in the catchment (and is therefore subject to the Resource Management Act 1991).

Treatment

The default is existing water treatment processes that meet the requirements of the proposed public health legislation to deliver human drinking-water that is potable and wholesome. In some situations, water may be of sufficient quality that it requires no treatment. Where changes to treatment processes are needed to deal with reduced water quality, alternatives may be negotiated between water suppliers, local authorities, consent applicants and the community.

Water supplier

Any person who, or entity that, owns, or is responsible for operating, a drinking-water supply.

Water treatment process

A chemical, biological, or physical process used to enhance the quality of a drinking-water supply before its distribution.

Wholesome drinking-water

Potable water that does not contain any determinands that exceed the guideline values for aesthetic determinands set out in the public health legislation.