Ryall washes his hands on drinking water

More than a year after suspending funding to help small communities make their drinking water safe, Health Minister Tony Ryall is still sitting on his hands as water quality gets worse, says Labour’s water spokesman Brendon Burns.

“Last September Mr Ryall suspended the Drinking Water Assistance Programme, put in place by Labour, while a review was completed,” Brendon Burns said.

“Mr Ryall said the review was expected to be completed early this year. Well, it’s now late-October, and hard-pressed small communities, some with water quality not fit to drink, are still not able to get access to the funding Labour provided.

“Every day that goes by Mr Ryall is increasing the risk of a major outbreak of water-borne illness in New Zealand,” Brendon Burns said. ”It will be on his hands and his conscience if such an outbreak occurs.

“Little wonder the Ministry of Health has buried the latest review of drinking water quality which shows a 3 percent decline (to 80 percent) in the number of New Zealanders drinking water safe from bacteriological contamination (E-coli).”

Brendon Burns said the ministry’s report also noted:

o There were 33 outbreaks of water-borne illness in 2008/09, more than double the number the previous year;
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o monitoring for E.coli ceased in a further 125 water supplies, mostly places like marae and camping grounds, during the 2008/2009 period;
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o five of 12 hospitals and health services with their own water supplies were bacteriologically non-compliant in 2008/2009; and
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o only 20% of nearly 600 schools with their own water supplies met the requirements for having assured, safe drinking water.
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“The report means one in five New Zealanders are either drinking water that is not safe, or which is not being tested to show it’s safe,” Brendon Burns said

“Not only has an arrogant Mr Ryall suspended the funding to help improve water quality, but he has pushed out for three years the requirement for communities to meet World Health Organisation minimums for safe water. It should not require a major outbreak of water-borne illness before funding is resumed, but many people are afraid this is what will happen.”

ENDS

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