says.
Rural marae expecting to upgrade their water systems could miss out because of a change in government policy, a Labour MP says.
Brendon Burns told Waatea News that replies to parliamentary questions show Health Minister Tony Ryall is deferring applications from 71 small communities that want to bring their drinking water quality up to World Health Organisation minimum standards.
He says the Government's intention to put a population-based funding limit on projects of $1,000-a-head will hit rural marae, which in peak times service far larger numbers than the small pool of residents in their immediate vicinity.
He says it is expensive to make drinking water plants safe, so the changes could mean many marae fail to meet the grade for even longer.
"Campylobacter, giardia, cryptosporidium are nasty illnesses and we have to deal with them," Mr Burns says.
