If you are on mains water, most supplies will have gone through a rigorous cleaning system before reaching your taps. However, contaminants can remain and the fallout from these could range from the hard-to-clean water marks on showers, to the more personal concerns with skin irritations and respiratory problems.

Individual concerns around mains water can range from heavy metals, calcium, chlorine, and fluoride; the final mix is dependent on your individual water source and council’s treatment budget and facilities. Whilst these may not always be damaging to your health, the chemicals added to make it safe often come with an unpleasant taste or odour.

Not all areas are equal; some areas will have lower water qualities than others, even on mains supply. For more information on your supply and its compliance with standards, click here.

Fresh rainwater has been a great source of untreated water for years. The global environment is changing and contaminants never heard of fifty years ago are now common in our air and environment. As the rain falls, it dissolves carbon dioxide from the air which can make it slightly acidic. In extreme cases, this acid rain can be highly polluting – thankfully, New Zealand air is not at these levels.

During the water collection process, contamination from organic matter and materials from your roof/gutter may occur, including faecal contamination from birds or rodents, spray drift, or contaminants from chimneys to name a few. Bacteria present may include E-Coli (bird droppings), Salmonella and Campylobacter. Viruses such as Hepatitis A & B and Norovirus may be found.

Having a water supply straight from one of these resources is a source of fresh, raw water, but the water is vulnerable to many damaging micro-organisms that can be harmful to your family’s health.

There can be undesirable levels of iron, manganese, Silica, and hardness, to name a few, and poor levels of pH found in this water.

Bacteria such as E-Coli, Salmonella, and Giardia may be present in any compromised water environment.