Tuesday, 14 May 2024

 

Wanaka Spring meets Drinking-water Standards (and then some!) - again. 

 

After a great deal of community interest in the Wanaka Spring, community focused group Touchstone, decided to fund a Potable Water test of the springs flow for the second time.

 

Last sampled in 2018 by the group, the costly testing has been funded by Touchstone.

“Because of the community interest in the spring, Ruby Island Swim funding enabled us to fund a comprehensive water quality test on the spring” 

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We just want to further people’s knowledge about the value of Wanaka’s Water, be it the Lake, River, Stream or a Spring.  Much like the Wanaka Tree, the Spring is also a popular Wanaka icon”. Eddie Spearing said.

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The latest test results ( view PDF ) are much the same as found in 2018. It tests for the presence of bacteria, metals, nitrates and details factors such as hardness and pH.  Results are compared to  'Water Services (Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand) Regulations 2022'. These regulations contain “Maximal Allowable Values”  that determine if the water quality is fit as a house hold drinking water supply. 

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In the case of the spring ALL the values are very low to non-detectable. Extremely low concentrations of metals and contaminants such as nitrate.

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We would like to stress that the spring is still not classed as a community supply. It's still drink at your own risk as its “raw” water.  While the laboratory we used is accredited, and we followed stringent sampling methods, our information while trustworthy is “un-official”.

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Also, we encourage people to ensure they fill drink bottles and use clean carboys direct under the flow from the “pipes”. Do not fill your bottle from the ponds as we have seen ducks, dogs and people “play” in the ponds below, so there will be a risk that water is less “clean”.  

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Regular updates on Touchstone projects are provided through www.touchstone.org.nz and our Facebook site Eddie said.  

 

END. 

 

More background on Touchstone can be found at www.touchstone.org.nz  

 

The Touchstone Project is an initiative launched in 2017, to support those active already and those whom need a hand to do projects that add to the lakes and the wider communities wellbeing.  This is about Lake Wanaka and its catchment and its people - aimed at supporting a growing awareness of the environmental challenges around the lake, but even more so, building a framework to help locals to have a positive influence on the water in the lake. 

 

Contacts.  

 

Eddie Spearing - Contact Cell: 027 472 9908