14 April 2026
James Owen
By Email: [FYI request #34072 email]
Dear Mr Owen,
Official Information Act request
We refer to your request for information under the Official Information Act 1982 (
OIA) dated 13
March 2026 as follows:
Following recent claims regarding the successful installation of 120 drinking water treatment
plants, I request the following information under the OIA to verify the safety and operational
status of these assets:
1. Commissioning vs. Installation: For each of the 120 plants, please provide the date of final
commissioning (the date the plant began supplying water to consumers) versus the date of
"installation" (the date physical works on site were completed).
2. Compliance Pathway: A breakdown of how many of these 120 plants are currently
operating under a Taumata Arowai "Acceptable Solution" versus those requiring a custom,
verified Drinking Water Safety Plan.
3. Water Safety Status: A list of any of the 120 sites that are currently—or have been in the last
6 months—subject to a Boil Water Notice or an Interim Source Water Risk Management
Plan.
4. Operational Handover: Documentation confirming how many of these 120 sites have
successfully transitioned to the 5-year "Maintenance and Training" phase with a local
operator, versus those still managed by the capital works contractors.
5. Supply Registration: Confirmation that all 120 plants are currently registered on the
Hinekōrako (Taumata Arowai) public register of drinking water supplies.
National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Ltd has reviewed your request and confirms the
following:
1. The enclosed spreadsheet includes the installation and commissioning dates (if
applicable) for the 120 drinking water treatment plants. We note that two drinking water
treatment plants have been installed but have not yet been commissioned due to external
factors.
2. As noted in the enclosed spreadsheet, of the 120 drinking water treatment plants that have
been installed, 38 require a custom verified Drinking Water Safety Plan.
3. Of the 118 commissioned drinking water treatment plants, 117 were commissioned by
local providers, with the ongoing operations and maintenance services being provided by
the local providers. One was commissioned by the original capital works contractor due to
the location of the site, with ongoing operations and maintenance being provided by that
contractor.
4. The balance of your request is refused on the basis of section 18(g) of the OIA (as the
information is not held by National Infrastructure). However, we note the following:
a. Boil Water Notices and Interim Source Water Risk Management Plans are issued by
the Water Services Authority, Taumata Arowai, directly to the sites; and
b. Each site, as the responsible water supplier, is responsible for the registration of
the applicable drinking water treatment plant on the public register. Registration
must occur prior to 15 November 2028.
National Infrastructure notes that you are entitled to make a complaint to the Office of the
Ombudsman under section 28(3) of the OIA.
Yours sincerely
Tanya Hansen
