Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Water Services Act 2021

Provisions relating to supply of drinking water - Laboratory accreditation and testing

73: Duty to use accredited laboratory to analyse water

You could also call this:

"Water suppliers must use an approved lab to test drinking water"

Illustration for Water Services Act 2021

You need to use a special laboratory to test the water you supply for drinking. This laboratory must be accredited, which means it has been approved to do this kind of work under section 77. If the laboratory finds that the water does not meet the drinking water standards, it must tell the Water Services Authority and you as soon as possible. You must use an accredited laboratory to test the water at its source, before it is treated, and after it is treated. This is part of making sure the water is safe to drink. The laboratory will check if the water meets the drinking water standards. An accredited laboratory is one that has been approved to test water. It can test the water at its source, before it is treated, and after it is treated. The laboratory must follow the rules and tell the Water Services Authority and you if the water is not safe to drink.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS374760.

This page was last updated on — View changes

Topics:
Environment and resources > Water safetyHealth and wellbeing > Public health
Previous

72: Regulations relating to authorisations, or

"Rules about getting and keeping licences and permits for water services"

Next

74: Water Services Authority may appoint accreditation body, or

""

Part 2Provisions relating to supply of drinking water
Laboratory accreditation and testing

73Duty to use accredited laboratory to analyse water

  1. A drinking water supplier must use an accredited laboratory to analyse source water, raw water, and drinking water as part of any monitoring requirements in compliance rules or a drinking water safety plan.

  2. If the results of an accredited laboratory’s analysis (whether or not the analysis has been requested to comply with subsection (1)) indicate that drinking water does not comply with the drinking water standards or compliance rules, the laboratory must notify the Water Services Authority and the drinking water supplier as soon as practicable after the results are known.

  3. In this subpart, accredited laboratory means a person accredited under section 77 to perform the functions of a laboratory that analyses source water, raw water, and drinking water.

Notes
  • Section 73(2): amended, on , by section 111(2) of the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 (2025 No 43).