Around one in five New Zealanders drinks 'at risk' water

It has been claimed that 20 per cent of the population of New Zealand could be at risk of contracting killer diseases through drinking water.

The New Zealand Labour Party has said that drinking water standards - which if implemented protect one in five New Zealanders - are being reviewed by the current government.

Brendon Burns, the party's water quality spokesman, has accused the administration of ignoring its own drinking water quality report.

The document showed 20 per cent of people in the country are drinking water that does not meet minimum standards or has not been tested for killer diseases like E coli and giardia.

New Zealand has a population of just over four million.

"This means as many as 800,000 New Zealanders – not to mention tourists on whom the prime minister puts much focus – are drinking water that by world measure is not safe," he says.