Drinking Water
 

How is the drinking water from the tap in New Zealand? We drink filtered water, not bottled water, here at home and always buy bottled water while traveling. Thank you.

Richard

Then if you want to waste a pile of money - small beer, of course, to the price of the trip, then I suggest you continue to buy bottled water.

You'll be adding to the landfill - bravo!!

We've done hiking tours in New Zealand where the guides encouraged us to just fill our water bottles from the streams we passed. Excellent water from both the streams and the tap--don't waste your money.

RichMill:

Good question.

We have travelled to NZ four times, tip of north island to the Catlins on the south island.

Never a problem with water.

Bottled water is useful in order to have some while driving, otherwise no worries.

Woodie

I agree with the other posters. You are not travelling to a Third World country.

The water from the tap in NZ is excellent, with one possible exception. We were discouraged by a local from drinking the water in a Motueka restaurant due to the high iron content, which actually turned the water a rust color. We drank the tap water in our nearby cottage though, so not sure what all the fuss was about.

Yes, those streams look wonderfully clean and clear, but you might think twice about drinking from them once you see the livestock doing their business upstream.

I stayed in a rural town on the South Island (Cheviot) where a posted sign warned that water needed to be boiled before use. NZ has Campylobacter, Giardia and other nasty bugs. A lot of people drink untreated water from streams, especially in Fiordland, but in more densely traveled hiking areas it's best to drink from rainwater or use a filter.

You should not need bottled water in major cities.