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Following Reply 37204 (2026), what schools across New Zealand, if any, are changing or upgrading their drinking water supplies as a result of elevated or rising nitrate levels in their water, even if levels have not yet exceeded the 11.3 mg/L drinking water limit? and 1 other question

Answered 39107, 39115 (2026)
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Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

Questions

  • 39107

    Following Reply 37204 (2026), what schools across New Zealand, if any, are changing or upgrading their drinking water supplies as a result of elevated or rising nitrate levels in their water, even if levels have not yet exceeded the 11.3 mg/L drinking water limit?

  • 39115

    Following Reply 37204 (2026), what schools in the Canterbury region, if any, are changing or upgrading their drinking water supplies as a result of elevated nitrate levels in their water, even if levels have not yet exceeded the 11.3 mg/L drinking water limit?

Answered by

Hon Erica Stanford

Member for East Coast Bays · National Party · Minister of Education

Answer

The information sought by the Member is not collated by the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) in a way that is readily reportable in the timeframe available to respond to written parliamentary questions. Assessment of school drinking water supplies under the Safer Drinking Water for Schools programme is ongoing. As part of these assessments the Ministry undertakes thorough water quality monitoring to understand the nature and risk of any water quality issues, including nitrate levels. Where nitrate levels are identified as requiring mitigation, the Ministry determines an appropriate solution. This is also my response to written parliamentary question 39115 (2026).