The Green Party is welcoming Government investment of $30m into school drinking water following their questions on the issue, but warns rural communities will continue to get sick until broader pollution problems are addressed.
The Green Party released data in April showing 9000 students across more than 70 schools and pre-schools faced unsafe drinking water in 2025, with water breaching safe Drinking Water Standards at some point during the year.
“No child should face a health risk from the water coming out of a drinking fountain at their school, so we welcome this modest investment in a basic human right. However, rural communities’ drinking water continues to be at serious risk.” says Greens Party Environmental spokesperson Lan Pham.
“When we put written questions to the Minister of Education back in February, it was unclear whether she was even across this issue. When asked about the 45 schools that had 'do not drink’ notices in 2025, she said she had “not received any advice” and referred to the issue as “operational”.
“We were also told by the Minister that “No additional treatment barriers were installed at any of the 45 schools in 2025”, so it’s good to see this has now become a priority issue for the Government, as it always should have been.
"While the Greens welcome the $30m as a start, it does not address the ongoing pollution of the rivers, streams and aquifers where our drinking water comes from. The Greens will continue to keep the pressure on this Government to get serious about protecting people’s health, the environment, and basic human rights,” Pham says.
Recent drinking water quality breaches in Waimate and Gore left residents’ water undrinkable for days. A recent report from Environment Southland found there were approximately 15,000 Southlanders drinking water polluted by nitrates.
It’s estimated that up to 100,000 people become sick each year from pathogens in drinking water, and there is increasing evidence of significant community exposure to other contaminants—such as nitrates—from contaminated drinking water sources.
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