Drinking Water

Rainwater collected from roofs clad with steel and prepainted steel products will comply with the provisions of NZBC G 1 2.3.1, provided the water is not contaminated from other sources.

The first 25 mm of rainfall from a newly installed roof should be discarded before drinking water collection starts, and always disconnect downpipes when painting a roof. Spouting should be regularly cleaned to avoid the build-up of dirt and debris that can affect water quality.

Where a paint or paint system is applied to the roof, its suitability for the collection of drinking water should be established. When rainwater from pre-painted roof cladding is used for drinking, it is advisable to repaint the roof as soon as its surface has weathered.

Water collected from metal roof cladding, spouting or gutters made from aluminium, copper and stainless steel will not normally be contaminated by rainfall in suburban and rural areas. However, fallout from manufacturing plants, top dressing, and the contamination resulting from roof cleaning can affect the water quality, and in these cases downpipes should be disconnected.