Rural Drinking Water Programme

The Rural Drinking Water Programme supports kāinga and rural drinking water suppliers to upgrade their drinking water systems. 

The Rural Drinking Water Programme – Te Hōtaka Wai Inu Taiwhenua – is intended to improve drinking water for marae, kōhanga reo, and papakāinga and other private rural supplies that are not connected to a town supply.

The programme focuses on kāinga, marae and other non-council rural community supplies that must comply with drinking water standards by November 2022 and are located in areas of high vulnerability.

The $30 million Rural Drinking Water Programme provides communities with treatment systems, training and maintenance to help them keep their water safe, as well as meet new regulatory requirements and drinking water rules.

Of the total $30 million available to the Programme, $20 million was set aside to upgrade water treatment systems for rural marae, kāinga and kōhanga reo. $10 million was set aside for other private drinking water suppliers that are not for profit and in areas of high vulnerability.

This funding acknowledges the historic inequities of access to safe drinking water in rural areas. As of 22 February 2023, the funds available to rural marae, kāinga and kōhanga reo have been fully allocated and registrations are now closed to rural marae, kāinga and kōhanga reo.

Applications are still open to other private rural drinking water suppliers that are on the Taumata Arowai drinking water register as of 15 November 2021, are not for profit, and in areas of high vulnerability.

To find out more about the programme please visit the Crown Infrastructure Partners website.

https://www.crowninfrastructure.govt.nz/water-infrastructure/rural-drinking-water/

Pakirikiri Marae, one of the initial sites for the Rural Drinking Water Programme.