Plumbosolvency
Did you know the Ministry of Health Drinking Water Standards recommend that you flush a mugful of water from your drinking-water tap each morning before use?
This is because all waters are plumbosolvent, which means they can dissolve very small amounts of metals if they come into contact with them.
Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt, Porirua and Wellington drinking water is described as ‘soft’ water, because there is less calcium and magnesium content. Soft water is slightly more acidic than hard water, and as a result it dissolves metals more easily/quickly.
In New Zealand, the plumbing materials/fittings (i.e. your taps) which come in to contact with water are usually the source of heavy metals, such as lead, nickel, cadmium, copper and antimony.
When you turn a fitting off there may be a small amount of water left sitting in it. Whilst our treatment processes adjust the pH to reduce the water’s aggressiveness on pipework, there is the potential that water sitting in a plumbing fitting, if unused for several hours, may accumulate minute traces of metals.
Although the health risk is small, the Ministry of Health drinking water standards recommend that you flush a mugful of water from your drinking-water tap each morning before use. This should remove any water that was left in your fittings, and metals that may have dissolved from the plumbing fittings.
All households are advised to take this precaution, whether they are on public or private water supply.
For further information you can contact the Drinking Water Assessment Unit of the Wellington Regional Public Health Service, phone 04 570 9002.
Poll: When should the tree go up? 🎄
From what we've heard, some Christmas trees are already being assembled and decorated.
What are your thoughts on the best time to get your Christmas tree up?
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5% Second half of November
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44.1% 1st December
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17% A week before Christmas
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32.5% Whenever you wish
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1.4% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite tomato recipe?
Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.
The Neighbourhood’s Brainiest: Can YOU Solve Today’s Riddle?
You see a boat filled with people.
It has not sunk, but when you look again you don’t see a single person on the boat.
Why?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
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