Photo: THOM LEACH / Science Photo Library via AFPExplainer - What does it mean when a boil water notice is issued due to possible E coli contamination? Photo: RNZ / Calvin SamuelHow do they search for E coli contamination? "That means if we get a positive result, we may issue a boil water notice while we carry out further testing." And last year, The Water Services Authority said the risk of E coli contamination in many school water supplies is extremely high. The authority's Drinking Water Regulation Report for 2024 said 71 schools reported at least one instance of faecal contamination of their drinking water last year.

Source: New Zealand Herald April 07, 2026 14:22 UTC