Despite much of the spotlight shining on just three Brookvale Rd bores since last year's campylobactor outbreak, it's possible locals have paid little attention to the 8000 private bores in backyards throughout Hawke's Bay.
Hawke's Bay Regional Council groundwater scientist Simon Harper has advocated that the public monitor their bores and take all the preventative measures they can to ensure they reduce the risk of contaminating their bore water.
"What you've done is made a hole into the aquifer that is then prone to be potentially contaminated and what you're trying to do there is set it up in such a way to minimise the risk," he said.
While the regional council is responsible for issuing bore permits to allow bores to be drilled, their website specifies those with a bore currently on their property have an obligation to keep it well-maintained and managed correctly.
Mr Harper said there were a number of preventative measures locals could take to ensure their bore was up to standard, including a basic visual inspection to ensure their well was sealed from the open environment to prevent contaminants entering it.