More "top" water for Wellington

Greater Wellington’s Gear Island water treatment plant in Petone has received an A1 grading – the Ministry of Health’s highest possible endorsement for drinking water.

The water from the Gear Island plant primarily goes to Wellington city. Greater Wellington’s Wainuiomata and Te Marua treatment plants – which supply water to the Wellington, Upper Hutt and Porirua cities as well as parts of Lower Hutt city – also have A1 gradings.

Cr Sandra Greig, Deputy Chair of Greater Wellington’s Social and Cultural Wellbeing Committee, says that A1 gradings are pretty rare throughout the country so it’s impressive that Greater Wellington now has three. (Only one other council in New Zealand has A1 gradings for its water treatment plants.)

“The A1 gradings are an achievement that Greater Wellington, and indeed the wider community, can take pride in. The results confirm that we have an excellent water supply system that gives us drinking water of the highest possible standard in New Zealand,” says Cr Greig.

To achieve an A1 grading, a plant must consistently produce safe water without an unpleasant smell or taste and have an internationally recognised quality management system in place.

The only Greater Wellington water treatment plant without an A1 grading is the Waterloo plant, which supplies most Lower Hutt city residents. This plant is graded B due to Hutt City Council’s preference to receive unchlorinated water. The addition of chlorine to water is required to get a Ministry of Health A1 grading.