Overview

Water microbiology standards for public consultation

We are seeking industry views about rejoining a suite of dejointed Australian water microbiology standards which define best practice for a range of methods for water testing and sampling for water-borne pathogens.

Please note all submissions need to be submitted through this portal. There is no option to upload separate files during the submission process. Documents with submissions sent to Standards New Zealand separately will not be considered by the committee.

This project is part of the Trans-Tasman Standards Alignment Programme, endorsed by the Minister of Small Business and Consumer Affairs in August 2024. The programme aims to align New Zealand practices with both international and trans-Tasman best practice, through committees of subject matter experts who assess the standards’ suitability for use here in Aotearoa New Zealand.

A committee of New Zealand subject matter experts has assessed the following Australian standards and considers them appropriate for rejoining and for use in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Have your say

Public consultation allows you the chance to provide feedback on the proposal to identically adopt these standards.

Visit Standards New Zealand’s consultation hub for a preview and form to provide feedback.

Standards New Zealand’s consultation hub

• DR AS/NZS 4276.17.1:2016 Method 17.1: Spores of Clostridium perfringens – Membrane filtration method.
   
• DR AS/NZS 4276.17.2:2016 Method 17.2: Spores of Clostridium perfringens - Estimation of most probable number (MPN) using the multiple tube dilution technique.
   
• DR AS/NZS 3896:2017 Examination for Legionella spp. Including Legionella pneumophila.
   
• DR AS/NZS 4276.1:2021 Method 1 Water quality – General requirements and guidance for microbiological examinations by culture.
   
• DR AS/NZS 4276.3:2021 Method 3 Enumeration of heterotrophic microorganisms – Pour plate, spread plate, membrane filtration, and most probable number techniques.
   
• DR AS/NZS 4276.5:2019  Method 5: Coliofrms, Escherchia coli and thermotolerant coliforms - Membrane filtration method.
   
• DR AS/NZS 4276.22:2019 Method 22 Water quality – Enumeration of Escherichia coli and coliform bacteria - Membrane filtration method for waters with low bacterial background flora (ISO 9308.1:2016).
   
• DR AS/NZS 4276.15:2014 Method 15 Examination for Vibrio cholerae