Drinking Water

It is normal to drink tap water in New Zealand. You can drink river water quite often as well. Of course only when the rivers are not in an urban settlement, it must be in rural areas; then most river water can be consumed without a problem. There are, however, a few cases where the water contains bacteria. So if you want to play safe, clean the water with a tablet or cook it for at least 3 minutes, or inquire at the local DOC. Another source of information about drinking water in New Zealand is the website of the Ministry of Health: http://www.moh.govt.nz.