Drinking Water

Rotorua has 10 municipal water supplies providing fresh water to our homes and businesses, all compliant with national drinking water standards and most coming from springs and bores.

Council is responsible for providing potable (drinking) water to:

Rotorua's urban areas
The rural communities of Mamaku, Rotoiti, Rotomā, Kaharoa, Reporoa, Hamurana and Ōkāreka.

Backflow Prevention

Backflow is when contaminated water is drawn back into the water supply from your property. Find out how property owners and Council can prevent backflow.
Bulk Water Filling Stations

There are dedicated bulk filling stations at several locations in Rotorua, for commercial tankers and other users.
Fluoridation

Find out how Council is preparing to introduce fluoride into the Rotorua Central and East water supplies by March 2025.
Understanding Your Water Charges

Charging methods and rates for metered and unmetered properties across Council's 10 water supplies.
Water Metering

Find out about areas and property types that use water meters to measure water use. Urban domestic consumers are mainly unmetered.
Drinking Water Quality

Read how Council works to achieve full compliance with drinking water standards and the water treatment process in Rotorua.

Additional drinking water supply testing

Every five years, Council conducts independent laboratory testing of its drinking water supply sources. View the test results in the following five reports provided by Hill Laboratories in 2020.

Rotoma / Rotoiti comprehensive source monitoring 2020 (PDF, 250KB)

Ngongotahā / Kaharoa / Mamaku Comprehensive source monitoring 2020 (PDF, 259KB)

Reporoa Comprehensive Source sampling 2020 (PDF, 249KB)

Hemo / Waipa Springs Comprehensive Source monitoring 2020 (PDF, 251KB)

Rotorua Central Comprehensive source monitoring 2020 (PDF, 249KB)

Rotorua Lakes Council Environmental Laboratory

The Council Laboratory provides a measurement service offering timely analysis for drinking (potable) water, wastewater and environmental water for public health, industrial/resource consent monitoring needs or simply for peace of mind.

Read more about Council's Environmental Laboratory

Karamu Takina Springs is the source of the Rotorua Central water supply.

About Rotorua's award-winning tap water

In May 2024, Rotorua won 'best tasting tap water in the country', according to the judges of 2024's IXOM National Water Taste Test. The competition compares the taste, odour and appearance of water samples submitted by water authorities around New Zealand.

Te Waiora - the life-giving waters

Check out this downloadable poster from Water New Zealand, highlighting the water cycle with illustrations and te reo Māori.

Drinking Water

Backflow Prevention

Bulk Water Filling Stations

Fluoridation

Understanding Your Water Charges

Water Metering

Drinking Water Quality

Additional drinking water supply testing

Rotorua Lakes Council Environmental Laboratory

About Rotorua's award-winning tap water

Te Waiora - the life-giving waters

Share this

Share this page