Taumata Arowai Drinking Water Quality Rules (2022) are in place. One clause within these rules specifies that standpipes can only be used by authorised contractors for the operation of the drinking water supply as outlined below.
Rule number |
Requirement |
Assurance/Monitoring |
Compliance period |
D3.6 |
Access to a water network through use of a standpipe is not permitted except by Fire and Emergency New Zealand, other emergency services, the water supplier or authorised contractors to the water supplier where it is reasonably necessary to access the network for the operation of the drinking water supply. |
Assurance |
1 year |

A standpipe is a portable device used to draw water directly from a fire hydrant on watermain. Throughout Auckland we have about 47,000 fire hydrants which are essential for firefighting. Hydrants are for firefighting purposes only – any other use is discretionary and limited by us.
The new
Taumata Arowai Drinking Water Quality Rules (2022) are in place. This means that only our staff, our contractors and emergency services are permitted to access hydrants on our network. Our contractors refers to MSN, Citycare, Downers and Fulton Hogan. The use of standpipes by these approved contractors is only permitted for work associated with the operation of our drinking water supply.