Are You a Drinking Water Supplier?
Confused by the rules? You’re not alone. We take care of the whole process for your business, school, marae or rural water supply.
What is a drinking water supplier?
Under the Water Services Act 2021, a drinking water supplier is anyone who supplies drinking water to other people. It doesn’t matter whether the water comes from a roof, a bore, a spring or a river.
That includes councils, businesses that supply water to staff or customers, schools, marae, campgrounds, accommodation, cafes, community halls, farms with staff housing and water carriers.
Since August 2025, household-only supplies serving 25 or fewer people are no longer drinking water suppliers. For the bigger picture, see our guide to New Zealand drinking water regulations.
Not sure where you fit?
Call Steve on 0800 278 296.
Which one are you?
There are three common situations. A business or community supply counts even if it serves only a few people.
Drinking water supplier
Who: councils, businesses that supply staff, customers or guests, schools, marae, campgrounds, accommodation, community halls and farms with staff housing.
What you need to do:
- Register with the Water Services Authority (Taumata Arowai)
- Supply safe water that meets the Drinking Water Standards
- Follow the Quality Assurance Rules or an Acceptable Solution
- Have a Drinking Water Safety Plan if you serve more than 25 people
- Keep records and report each year
- Renew your registration every five years
Household supply of 25 or fewer people
Who: a home with its own water supply (a domestic self-supply), or a supply shared only between homes, serving 25 or fewer people.
What you need to do:
You’re not a drinking water supplier and don’t need to register. If you registered before August 2025, you can ask to deregister.
Your water still needs to be safe to drink, and the Building Code (clause G12) requires a potable water supply.
Water carrier
Who: anyone who delivers drinking water by tanker to homes, businesses or other suppliers.
What you need to do:
- Register your carrier service in Hinekōrako, the regulator’s online portal (registration is free)
- If you fill from your own bore, spring, river or roof, register that source first
- Have a Drinking Water Safety Plan that covers everything from source to customer
- Renew your registration every five years
More from the regulator: water carrier services.
We take care of the whole process
Most people find these rules confusing, and you don’t need to become an expert. From your first phone call to ongoing servicing, Aqua Works is your one-stop shop for drinking water compliance.
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On-site assessment
We visit, look at your source, storage and treatment, and work out who you supply and which rules apply.
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Choose your pathway
We pick the right way for you to comply: the Quality Assurance Rules or an Acceptable Solution.
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Check your treatment
We check what treatment you already have and what needs adding to meet that pathway.
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Install and upgrade
Our plumbers install or upgrade your filtration, UV and other treatment so your supply complies.
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Register your supply
We register your supply with the Water Services Authority (Taumata Arowai) on your behalf, and can act as your water operator. Existing supplies must be registered by November 2028.
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Safety plan and paperwork
We prepare your Drinking Water Safety Plan if you need one, plus the records and reporting.
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Ongoing service
We service your system, test your water and keep your records up to date, so you stay compliant year after year.
Not sure where your supply fits?
Call Steve. We’ll work out what applies to your supply and take care of the rest.
Hand it over to us
Understanding your responsibilities is often the hardest part. Most of our customers have no idea where they fit, and that’s fine. You don’t have to work it out on your own.
That’s where we come in. We assess your water source and setup, arrange testing through an accredited lab, explain the results in plain English and recommend the treatment and maintenance your supply needs.
We can register your supply for you, act as your water operator, and prepare your Water Safety Plan, forms, checklists and records, so you can get on with running your business.
One call, everything sorted
We’ve looked after water systems for Rodney businesses, schools and rural supplies since 2000. We can take care of:
On-site assessment of your supply
Choosing your compliance pathway
Filtration, UV and chlorination matched to your supply
Registering your supply on your behalf
Acting as your water operator
Drinking Water Safety Plans, records and paperwork
Ongoing servicing, testing and maintenance
Compliance is more than paperwork
Safe drinking water depends on the whole system working together: the source, collection, storage, treatment, monitoring and maintenance. The regulator focuses on protecting public health and on the supplies with the greatest risk.
Local expertise. Local trust.
We’re a local Warkworth team with experience in water filtration, commercial UV treatment, water pumps, rainwater harvesting and bore water treatment. Four of our team have passed the NZQA small drinking water supplies course, and four have passed the NZQA course on writing Drinking Water Safety Plans.
Drinking water supplier FAQs
What is a drinking water supplier?
Anyone who supplies drinking water to other people, whether it comes from a roof, a bore, a spring or a river. That includes councils, businesses, schools, marae, campgrounds and water carriers. Household-only supplies serving 25 or fewer people are not drinking water suppliers.
Am I a drinking water supplier if I only supply my own home?
No. A home with its own water supply is a domestic self-supply, and it doesn’t need to register. The same goes for a rental home on a rainwater tank. But a cafe or other business on a rainwater tank is a drinking water supplier.
Does a water supply shared between neighbours count as a drinking water supplier?
If it supplies only homes and serves 25 or fewer people, no. It’s a shared domestic supply and doesn’t need to register. If it serves more than 25 people, it’s a drinking water supplier.
Does a business supplying water to fewer than 25 people need to register?
Yes. Business and community supplies, such as cafes, marae and community halls, still need to register even if they serve 25 or fewer people. If your supply was running before 15 November 2021, you have until November 2028. You won’t need a Drinking Water Safety Plan.
When does a drinking water supplier need to register?
Supplies set up since 15 November 2021 must be registered before they start. Existing supplies that aren’t registered yet have until November 2028 to register and until November 2030 to fully comply. The duty to supply safe drinking water already applies.
Do I need a Drinking Water Safety Plan?
If you serve more than 25 people, yes. Supplies serving 25 or fewer people no longer need one. If your supply qualifies for an Acceptable Solution, following it can be a simpler way to meet the requirements. We can help you prepare your Water Safety Plan.
Are water carriers drinking water suppliers?
Yes. Water carriers must register their service, and if they fill from their own source, register that source first. They also need a Drinking Water Safety Plan that covers everything from source to customer.
Can Aqua Works register my drinking water supply for me?
Yes. We can register your supply with the Water Services Authority (Taumata Arowai) on your behalf, act as your water operator, prepare your Drinking Water Safety Plan and keep your paperwork up to date.
What is Hinekōrako?
It’s the online portal the Water Services Authority (Taumata Arowai) uses to register drinking water supplies and manage supplier information. Registration is free.
What happens if a drinking water supplier doesn’t comply?
The regulator can take enforcement action to protect public health, including warnings, compliance orders, fines or prosecution. You may also need to improve your treatment, increase monitoring or issue boil water notices until the water is safe.
How can Aqua Works help drinking water suppliers?
We take care of the whole process: the on-site assessment, choosing your compliance pathway, checking and upgrading your treatment, registering your supply, your Drinking Water Safety Plan and paperwork, and ongoing servicing. Call Steve on 0800 278 296 to get started.
Get your legal duties sorted
Book a free onsite visit. We’ll take care of everything, from registration and treatment to your safety plan and ongoing servicing.