The Green Party has announced a new policy that it says will keep water in aquifers safe from pollution and contamination.
The member's bill, launched at the Party's candidates conference in Upper Hutt today, makes protecting groundwater quality a matter of national importance, and incorporates aquifers into the Resource Management Act.
Greens' co-leader James Shaw said 40 percent of the country relied on aquifers for drinking water but they currently lacked adequate protections.
Mr Shaw said aquifers were critical to the health of other freshwater bodies, such as wetlands, lowland rivers and lakes.
He said without the change, communities should expect to see boil-water notices more often.