Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is working to install a protozoa barrier at the treatment plant which may be linked to the current cryptosporidiosis outbreak, but barriers for other council-owned water plants - like those in Wānaka, Luggate, and Wānaka Airport - could be some time away.

Council staff are working on a plan for the installation of barriers, which have been required by water regulator Taumata Arowai since November last year, to submit to mayor Glyn Lewers today (Friday September 29).

QLDC’s water supplies have been under scrutiny in the past two weeks following a cryptosporidiosis outbreak in Queenstown, which has so far resulted in 45 confirmed cases, seven probable cases, and three cases under investigation.  

Taumata Arowai has served a compliance order on the council for its Two Mile water treatment plant, which serves much of the Whakatipu Basin, and does not have a protozoa barrier to stop the parasite cryptosporidium from entering the water supply.

“Our immediate priority is to meet the requirements of the current compliance order from Taumata Arowai,” QLDC spokesperson Sam White told the Wānaka App.

“Once the compliance order has been met, priority will then shift to meeting compliance at other council-managed supplies.”

Read more: Queenstown parasite outbreak raises concerns about Upper Clutha water supplies

Taumata Arowai head of regulatory Steve Taylor said the lack of a protozoa barrier “creates a serious risk to public health”.

Sam said so far QLDC has installed barriers to the water supplies at Arrowtown, Arthurs Point, Lake Hayes, Lakes Hayes Estate, Shotover Country, and Lake Hāwea.

“[This] is the initial stage of a progressive programme to complete the same work at other council-managed water supplies across the district,” he said.

“Such a significant programme needs to be phased over time and balanced with investment in other essential council infrastructure and services.”

“Council officers are working to provide [mayor Glyn Lewers] with a detailed plan with timings by the end of this week. We expect to be in a position to provide a public announcement soon after [he] has reviewed this plan. 

Around 190 supplies in New Zealand (serving approximately 13 percent of the population) that have similar source water characteristics to the Queenstown supply do not have a protozoa barrier at the treatment point. 

The Water Services Act 2021 (the Act) requires drinking water suppliers to ensure the drinking water they provide is safe, which includes a multi-barrier approach to managing risks; and the Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules requires this kind of drinking water supply to have a protozoa barrier. 

PHOTOS: Supplied