OIA Ref: CAS-01778-T6K4R6
20 September 2023
Barry Murphy
[FYI request #23953 email]
Tēnā koe Barry
Request for informa�on on the governance and compliance of the Water Services Act 2021
Thank you for your email dated 25 August 2023, to the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA)
reques�ng informa�on under the Official Informa�on Act 1982 (OIA), which was transferred to
Taumata Arowai on 5 September 2023.
Your request asked for the following informa�on in rela�on to water services provided by Ruapehu
District Council:
1. who governs the water act
2. who takes action for the lack of services being provided (breaking the act)
3. I wish to make a formal complaint and for this to be investigated
Response
Taumata Arowai is the water services regulator under the Water Services Act 2021
1. Taumata Arowai operates as the water services regulator for Aotearoa New Zealand under the
Taumata Arowai–the Water Services Regulator Act 2020. Taumata Arowai regulates the supply of
drinking water and has a regulatory role in relation to wastewater and stormwater under the
Water Services Act 2021 (WSA).
2. Taumata Arowai assumed its role as the water services regulator on 15 November 2021 when the
responsibility for regulating drinking water supplies transferred to it from the Ministry of Health,
upon the commencement of the Water Services Act 2021 (WSA). The WSA primarily requires
drinking water suppliers to supply safe drinking water to consumers that complies with the
Drinking Water Standards 2022 (Standards). Taumata Arowai is responsible for regulating
drinking water suppliers’ compliance with the WSA. This compliance includes meeting the
Standards and complying with the
Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules.
3. Taumata Arowai has a range of regulatory tools available to address non-compliance with the
WSA. Information about the regulatory approach Taumata Arowai use for drinking water can be
found on the Taumata Arowai website in th
e Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement Strategy
2022-2025.
Complaint process
4. In relation to part 3 of your request, we can arrange a member of our regulatory operations team
who is responsible for the Ohakune area to contact you to discuss your complaint. To do so we
need your contact number to get in touch with you. You can em
ail [email address],
raise a concern through our online form on our website
: Are you concerned about your drinking
water? | Taumata Arowai, or use this form on our website:
Contact us | Taumata Arowai to
provide us with this informa�on.
Right to complain regarding this OIA response You have the right, by way of complaint to the Ombudsman under sec�on 28(3) of the OIA, to seek
an inves�ga�on and review of this response. Informa�on about how to make a complaint is
available a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku, nā
Aimee van Barneveld
Governance and Performance Manager
