Photo: Supplied / ODT via LDRA former mayor-turned water specialist has offered some humorous advice on dealing with complaints - just ask people how much contamination they're comfortable with. On Wednesday, water regulator Taumata Arowai specialist Tim Cadogan dialled in from Wellington to share safety insights with Southland district councillors. "So that's 43 times that water supplies in New Zealand were essentially infiltrated by faeces. There were four ways of protecting against unsafe water, he explained - protecting the source, filtration, disinfection and secure distribution. Good source water had benefits because it was cheaper to treat, while disinfection included methods such as chlorine and UV.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 12, 2026 12:41 UTC