Water Compliance Sampling and Testing
New Zealand’s waters – our drinking water, wastewater and stormwater - are all undergoing a major reform to ensure our water services are safe, reliable, fit for purpose and support environmental sustainability.
The Eurofins Food and Water Testing NZ network of laboratories across New Zealand specialises in the sample collection, laboratory analysis, and reporting of council water compliance samples for drinking water, stormwater and wastewater. We are already in a strong position to operate within the new framework, and can support authorities with the new, expanded and strengthened drinking-water regulatory system.
Our eight water testing IANZ-accredited laboratories are located throughout New Zealand, in Auckland, Taupo, Hastings, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, offering customers easy access to all our sampling and analytical testing services.
Testing Drinking Water Quality
We offer a complete suite of water testing services that cover the requirements of the Drinking Water Standards of New Zealand (DWSNZ). All drinking water must comply with these standards, which state the ‘maximum amounts of substances, organisms or residues that may be present in drinking water’ (Drinking-water Standards for New Zealand 2005 Revised 2018).
Testing Wastewater Quality
As IANZ-accredited laboratories, the Eurofins Food and Water Testing NZ network of companies across New Zealand can perform testing and reporting to support the consented discharge of effluent activity.
(Effluent that leaves a treatment plant will either be discharged into a freshwater or marine environment or sprayed across land as a fertiliser. Under the three waters programme the final effluent from sewage plants must be checked and reported on by an IANZ-accredited laboratory.)
Testing Stormwater Quality
All stormwater ends up in the natural environment, including streams and rivers, and ultimately in the ocean. We offer extensive testing for microbiological counts, BOD, nutrients and other analytes to ensure our ecosystems remain protected.
(Rainwater that flows over industrial sites such as forecourts, car parks, and manufacturing areas should be tested for the contaminants likely to be found at that site. Companies with large areas of hard surfaces will be required to perform regular stormwater testing during rainfall events.)
Digital Sampling App
Eurofins Food and Water Testing NZ has developed and deployed a digital sampling app that provides full traceability from the exact point of sampling through to the sample’s arrival at the lab. The process is automated with the data available for audits.
The app functionality includes the recording of:
- Collection place and time
- On-site test measurements
- Procedures followed
- Training competency of the sampler
- Site-specific observations
The app also details a list of the site-specific hazards, and provides assurance to councils that samplers are following and complying with their H&S requirements.
Sampling Wastewater and Stormwater
Wastewater and stormwater contain contaminants that run into streams, rivers and harbours. Some of these fresh water sources are used to extract drinking water, so it is important these are monitored for the potential contaminants found in wastewater and stormwater.
The reform will see an increase in existing stormwater sampling and testing, as well as new requirements for companies that discharge stormwater from their premises.
Sampling Containers:
A stormwater sample needs to contain the first ‘concentrated’ flush after rainfall begins. This can be challenging, especially if the rainfall is heavy. Eurofins companies in New Zealand can provide customers with sampling containers that can be installed prior to rainfall which resolves this issue. These are suitable for:
- Streams, excluding those that have tidally influenced flows
- Stormwater drains
- Stormwater pipes
- Pumped stormwater discharges
Reporting Drinking Water Quality
Our laboratories are supported globally by an IT team with over 1000 staff, who have programmed our databases to support any future compliance requirements required under the three waters reform.
Please contact us for more information, or to find out how you may be affected by the three waters reform.
For more information, please see our Water Compliance Sampling and Testing brochure.
