Q: I’ve been drinking our water for years and I’ve never been ill – is it really unsafe?
A: Not every person infected with a pathogen from contaminated water falls ill, but young children, the elderly, visitors and those who are unwell are more vulnerable. This is because they either have a lowered resistance to disease or have not been exposed to water-borne pathogens and have never built up any resistance.
The chances of developing an illness after drinking contaminated water depends on a number of things, including the type of micro-organism, the amount of the micro-organism consumed, and the resistance of the infected person.
Q: What if I am allergic to chlorine?
A: Chlorine allergy is extremely rare. If you do have an allergy, it is easy to remove the chlorine, either through evaporation or a charcoal filter. Charcoal filters can be fitted to the household water supply or just to one tap. Another option is to collect and use tank water, but this would be at your own risk.
Q: How much do charcoal filters costs?
A: There is a range of price points of charcoal filters depending on their specifications. Prices range from about $65 for a counter-top filter to $300+ for a filter that attaches to your mains supply for the whole house.
Q: Will the Government subsidise charcoal filters?
A: No, because filters are not needed to remove chlorine. It’s easy to remove chlorine from water by letting it evaporate.
U: Kua roa ake nei te au mataiti i te inu ua’anga au i te vai e kare roa au i maki ia na – e manamanata ainei teia?
P: Kare e ko te au tangata katoatoa te ka maki’ia e teia au manumanu kikino i roto i te vai, inara ko te tamariki, te au pa metua pakari, te turoto e pera ko ratou e noo makimaki ua ra ko ratou te ka tu vaveia ete maki. No te mea kua topa to ratou turanga paruru atu i te maki me kore, kare roa ratou i ta’i’i ana ki tetai vai e kua ki i teia au manumanu kikino e kare i reira e paruru i roto i to ratou kopapa.
Ko te kotinga e ka maki’ia tetai tangata i muri ake i te tuatau ka inu atu ei i teia vai tau kore tei runga te reira i tetai au tumu mei te tu o te manumanu kikino, te numero me kare te vaito o te manumanu kikino e pera katoa te pakari o te paruru maki o tetai tangata tei arapaki’ia.
U: Ka akapeea i reira me e arapaki’anga ta te vairakau chlorine kiaku? (allergy)
P: Ko te arapaki’anga a te vairakau chlorine kite tangata (allergy), e varavara kino tei kiteia e tupu nei. Me e manamanata ra toou, e ngoie ua i te kiriti mai i te vairakau chlorine mei roto ite vai na roto i tetai akaruke’anga kia maranga te vairakau ki roto i te mareva me kare na roto i te ta’anga’anga ite ta’au ngarau. Ka rauka te tamou ite ta’au ngarau ki runga ite paipa i roto ite ngutuare. Ko tetai ravenga kote ta’anga’anga ite vai tangika inara tei runga rai ia koe te au manamanata ta teia vai tangika ka akatupu.
U: Eia moni i te oko i te ta’au ngarau?
P: Tuketuke te au moni o te ta’au ngarau. Tei runga ite turanga ote ta’au taau ka inangaro. Ko te moni oko, mei te $65 tara no te ta’au te ka vai ua ki runga i te ngai orei kapu, e tae atu ki te $300 tuma no te ta’au ka tamou ia atu ki runga ite paipa vai o toou ngutuare.
U: Ka tauturu ainei te Kavamani i te tutaki atu i tetai tu’anga moni no te ta’au ngarau?
P: Kare, no te mea kare e kote ravenga ta’au ua te ka rauka i te kiriti i te vairakau chlorine, e ngoie ake mate kore e akapou’anga moni i te akaatea i teia vairakau na roto i te akaruke’anga i te vai ki roto i tetai kakapu mate kore e tapoki kia maranga teia vairakau ki roto i te mareva.