The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management has reviewed its advice about storing water for emergencies, warning householders about the use of bleach in water.
The ministry's advice has been to add household bleach to stored water but now Civil Defence Emergency Management director John Hamilton says while that should still be done, people need to be aware that not all bleaches are safe to use in drinking water.
Mr Hamilton says new bleach products continue to come onto the market and people need to be aware of what bleaches should and should not be used.
He says it is not safe to use bleaches that contain added scent or other additives, because they can make people sick.
He says if the product's label is not clear about what has been added to the bleach, do not use it.
