The New Zealand Drinking Water Standards Maximum Acceptable Values and World Health Organisation limit for nitrate allowed in drinking water is 11.3mg/L. Abel said 140 water samples were tested at Temuka and, overall, testing showed lower nitrate levels than the samples tested on Saturday in Ashburton. “The rates are lower here than Ashburton. And one was extraordinary with zero nitrates, which is very unusual. We had a few zeroes in Woodend near the sea.” Valentina Bellomo/Stuff New Zealand Federation of Freshwater Anglers Inc president Dr Peter Trolove tests water samples on the organisation's spectrometer at the free testing day at the Temuka Alpine Energy Community Centre on Sunday.