The first is obvious: make sure that the infrastructure delivering the water is up to standard. The Napier City Council has announced measures to ensure this part of the equation is met.
The second requires 21st century thinking: treating the water with ozone kills 100 per cent of the microbes that can potentially cause harm; it is chemical free and completely safe. It is cheaper than UV and much safer than chlorine and it's easy to install and maintain.
In fact, the country's most innovative manufacturer of ozone products is located right here in Napier.
A simple Google search for "chlorine in drinking water" brings up a report published by the highly credible United Nations World Health Organisation that contained the line: "An increased risk of bladder cancer appeared to be associated with the consumption of chlorinated tap water in a population-based, case-control study of adults consuming chlorinated or non-chlorinated water for half of their lifetimes."
The source of this study is the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. This is referring to my children's situation - they drink our water by the gallon.
In fact chlorine injected into the reticulation system at current levels is only proven to kill up to 60 per cent of known pathogens.
I am told by a water expert that in order to achieve a 100 per cent kill rate, chlorine has to be used at such a dose that it is highly carcinogenic.
The bottom line is that the permanent chlorination of Napier's water supply is not needed.
A number of countries (including Germany, Holland and the Scandinavian countries) are removing chlorine systems from their water supply.
Suggesting that our water must be chlorinated to deliver a safe and secure flow is simply not true and we must not be allowed to be hoodwinking by the so-called experts that this is the only way forward.
This is something worth standing up and fighting for.
* Stuart Nash is the Napier MP and is standing again in this year's election.