Health (Quality of Drinking Water) Regulations 2002

i Health (Quality of Drinking Water) Regulations 2002 S.R. No. 9/2002 TABLE OF PROVISIONS Regulation Page 1. Objectives 1 2. Authorising provisions 1 3. Commencement 1 4. Revocation 2 5. Definition 2 6. Application of Regulations 2 7. Protection from contamination 2 8. Reporting of waterborne illness 2 9. Water sampling 3 10. Water testing and reporting 3 11. Exemptions 4 12. Additional sampling and testing directions by the Secretary 4 13. Purification of contaminated water supplies 5 __________________ SCHEDULE 7 ═══════════════ ENDNOTES 8 -- 1 of 9 -- 1 STATUTORY RULES 2002 S.R. No. 9/2002 Health Act 1958 Health (Quality of Drinking Water) Regulations 2002 The Lieutenant-Governor as the Governor's Deputy makes the following Regulations: Dated: 19 February 2002 Responsible Minister: JOHN THWAITES Minister for Health HELEN DOYE Clerk of the Executive Council 1. Objectives The objectives of these Regulations are to provide for the protection from contamination and testing of water supply systems that supply water for drinking by humans and to authorise the Secretary to give directions to water supply authorities concerning the taking and testing of that water. 2. Authorising provisions These Regulations are made under sections 81, 390 and 391 of the Health Act 1958. 3. Commencement These Regulations come into operation on 24 February 2002. -- 2 of 9 -- S.R. No. 9/2002 Health (Quality of Drinking Water) Regulations 2002 2 4. Revocation The Health (Quality of Drinking Water) Regulations 1991 1 are revoked. 5. Definition In these Regulations— "approved" means approved in writing; "water supply authority" has the same meaning as in section 81(3) of the Health Act 1958. 6. Application of Regulations These Regulations apply only to water supply systems supplying water intended for drinking by humans. 7. Protection from contamination A water supply authority must take reasonable precautions to ensure that its water supply systems are protected from contamination. Penalty: 20 penalty units. 8. Reporting of waterborne illness (1) An officer of a water supply authority or council who believes, or suspects, that water supplied by a water supply authority may be— (a) the cause of an illness; or (b) the means by which an illness is being, or has been, transmitted— must report the matter in writing to the Secretary within 24 hours of formulating that belief or suspicion. Penalty: 20 penalty units. r. 4 -- 3 of 9 -- S.R. No. 9/2002 Health (Quality of Drinking Water) Regulations 2002 3 (2) An officer of a water supply authority or council making the written report referred to in sub- regulation (1) must include the following information— (a) a description of the illness or suspected illness; (b) the reasons why the officer believes, or suspects, that water supplied by a water supply authority is the cause of that illness; (c) the name of the geographic area concerned; (d) the name of the officer of the authority or council; (e) the contact details for that officer. Penalty: 20 penalty units. 9. Water sampling (1) A water supply authority must take samples from its water supply systems in accordance with the Schedule. Penalty: 20 penalty units. (2) The Secretary may direct a water supply authority in writing as to the manner, time and places in or at which samples are to be taken in accordance with sub-regulation (1). (3) A water supply authority must comply with a direction under sub-regulation (2). Penalty: 20 penalty units. 10. Water testing and reporting (1) A water supply authority must cause the samples taken in accordance with regulation 9 to be examined for E. coli and total coliform bacteria at a laboratory approved by the Secretary. Penalty: 20 penalty units. r. 9 -- 4 of 9 -- S.R. No. 9/2002 Health (Quality of Drinking Water) Regulations 2002 4 (2) A water supply authority must cause the results of the samples analysed to be reported in writing to the Secretary without delay, unless otherwise directed by the Secretary. Penalty: 10 penalty units. 11. Exemptions (1) A water supply authority may apply to the Secretary for an exemption from any of the requirements of regulations 9(1) and 10(2). (2) On an application under sub-regulation (1), the Secretary may exempt the water supply authority from any of the requirements of regulations 9(1) and 10(2) subject to any conditions that the Secretary thinks fit. 12. Additional sampling and testing directions by the Secretary (1) The Secretary may direct any water supply authority— (a) to take samples from its water supply systems at more frequent intervals or in greater numbers than required by regulation 9; and (b) as to the manner, times and places in or at which samples of its water supply systems are taken for the purpose of analysis. (2) A direction under sub-regulation (1) must be in writing and must specify the period for which the direction is to apply and may specify— (a) that samples undergo biological, chemical, parasitological or physical analysis at a laboratory approved by the Secretary; r. 11 -- 5 of 9 -- S.R. No. 9/2002 Health (Quality of Drinking Water) Regulations 2002 5 (b) the manner in which the authority is to report to the Secretary on the results of samples taken and analysed, in accordance with the direction. (3) A water supply authority must comply with a direction under sub-regulation (1). Penalty: 20 penalty units. 13. Purification of contaminated water supplies (1) If the Secretary is satisfied that the water supplied by a water supply authority is, or may be, contaminated and that there is a substantial risk to the public health because of the contamination, the Secretary may, after consulting the water supply authority, do either or both of the following— (a) direct the authority to take reasonable measures to notify all consumers likely to be affected by that substantial risk to the public health to boil the water before drinking; (b) direct the authority to purify the water supply to a standard determined by the Secretary. (2) A direction under sub-regulation (1)— (a) must specify the time within which the water supply authority must take the directed action; and (b) must be in writing. (3) The Secretary must cause a direction under sub- regulation (1) to be given to the water supply authority and a copy to be given to the Secretary to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. r. 13 -- 6 of 9 -- S.R. No. 9/2002 Health (Quality of Drinking Water) Regulations 2002 6 (4) A water supply authority must comply with a direction under sub-regulation (1). Penalty: 20 penalty units. __________________ r. 13 -- 7 of 9 -- S.R. No. 9/2002 Health (Quality of Drinking Water) Regulations 2002 7 SCHEDULE Regulation 9 Maximum intervals between successive samples of water from water supply systems and minimum number of samples to be taken and analysed for E. coli and total coliform bacteria. PART 1—SAMPLING IN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS Population served in each distribution system Maximum interval between successive samples in each distribution system Minimum number of samples each month from each distribution system Up to 2000 1 month 1 sample 2001–10 000 1 month 1 per 2000 population 10 001–20 000 1 month 3 plus 1 per 5000 population 20 001–50 000 2 weeks 3 plus 1 per 5000 population 50 001–100 000 4 days 3 plus 1 per 5000 population More than 100 000 1 working day 13 plus 1 per 10 000 population Sampling must be rotated throughout all parts of the distribution system. PART 2—SAMPLING OF SOURCE WATER If water is received from several sources, the water from each source where in use must be sampled monthly. ═══════════════ Sch. -- 8 of 9 -- S.R. No. 9/2002 Health (Quality of Drinking Water) Regulations 2002 8 ENDNOTES 1 Reg. 4: S.R. No. 33/1991. Endnotes -- 9 of 9 --