Why Boil Water Notices Are on the Rise (And How You Can Stop Worrying About Them)

You’re making a cuppa, cooking dinner, or filling your kids’ drink bottles… and suddenly the council slaps a Boil Water Notice on your tap.
Your water isn’t safe. Boil it before drinking, or risk getting sick.

How inconvenient, how disruptive, and most of all, it makes you wonder: what have we actually been drinking?

The truth is, Boil Water Notices are becoming more common across New Zealand, and they’re not just a rural problem anymore.
In 2024, the Taumata Arowai report revealed that 71 rural schools had at least one incident of E. coli detected in their water supply. That’s just the schools, not even counting households and small towns.

Why are Boil Water Notices becoming more frequent?

A few reasons:

• Aging infrastructure – Old pipes, leaky systems, and unmaintained treatment plants make it easier for bugs to sneak in.
• Heavy rain events – Floodwater and runoff carry bacteria, protozoa, and viruses into the water supply.
• Population growth – More demand puts more strain on already stretched systems.

And when contamination is found? The easiest, quickest advice is: Boil your water.

What’s in your water during a Boil Water Notice?

The “boil” advice is there to kill nasties like:

• Bacteria (E. coli) – can cause severe stomach illness.
• Protozoa (Cryptosporidium, Giardia) – microscopic parasites that cause days (or weeks!) of diarrhoea.
• Viruses (Norovirus, Hepatitis A) – waterborne viruses that thrive in contaminated systems.

The concerning part? Boiling kills them, but it doesn’t remove them, meaning you’re still consuming what’s left behind.

How small are these bugs really?

• Bacteria – around 0.2 to 2 microns.
• Protozoa – around 4 to 15 microns.
• Viruses – as tiny as 0.02 microns.

The UFX3 Under Sink Filter?
It filters down to 0.01 micron, stopping bacteria, protozoa, and even the smallest viruses before they ever reach your glass.

Why UV alone isn’t enough

Some systems use UV light to zap bugs. Great idea in theory, but here’s the catch:
UV kills microorganisms, but it doesn’t remove them. You’re still drinking their remains.
The UFX3 not only blocks the bugs but also removes them entirely, so your water is clean, clear, and safe.

Why bother boiling when you can filter?

Boiling your water every time you want a drink is a hassle. Filling kettles, waiting, cooling, storing... not exactly convenient for daily life.

With the UFX3, you can:
- Ignore Boil Water Notices — your filter has you covered.
- Drink straight from the tap — no boiling, no storing.
- Protect your family every day, not just during a warning.

Bottom line: Boil Water Notices aren’t going anywhere. In fact, they’re becoming part of life for many Kiwi towns. But with the right filter, you don’t need to panic, queue for bottled water, or ration the safe stuff.

The UFX3 gives you peace of mind - no matter what’s happening in the pipes outside your home.

Learn more about the UFX3 here and protect your tap for good.