❓ A parliamentary question regarding lead contamination in drinking water, the advice to flush taps, and the potential water wastage implications. The Minister's response provides limited information and encourages water reuse.
AnsweredQoN 1222Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DRINKING WATER —
LEAD
1222. Hon RICK MAZZA to the minister representing the
Minister for Water:
I refer to The Sunday Times article of 25 November ''Toxic Water Taps'', which reported
households have been officially warned to run taps for 30 seconds in the
morning before using water for drinking or cooking amid growing concern about
lead poisoning.
(1) Considering the prevalence of a drying climate, if
every household runs their taps for 30 seconds as part of a morning lead flush, what does this translate to
in additional water wastage in Western Australia per year?
(2) When did the
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation become aware of the advice to
run taps for 30 seconds to flush lead, which the article states was released
nearly six months ago but was not publicised?
LEAD
1222. Hon RICK MAZZA to the minister representing the
Minister for Water:
I refer to The Sunday Times article of 25 November ''Toxic Water Taps'', which reported
households have been officially warned to run taps for 30 seconds in the
morning before using water for drinking or cooking amid growing concern about
lead poisoning.
(1) Considering the prevalence of a drying climate, if
every household runs their taps for 30 seconds as part of a morning lead flush, what does this translate to
in additional water wastage in Western Australia per year?
(2) When did the
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation become aware of the advice to
run taps for 30 seconds to flush lead, which the article states was released
nearly six months ago but was not publicised?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
The following information has been provided by the Minister for Water.
(1) The impact is
limited by variations in tap flow rates, the number of taps flushed by the
customer in each home and customer usage patterns. The Water Corporation
encourages the community to capture water flushed as part of this process and
re-use it for watering the garden or pot plants.
(2) It was in July 2018.
The following information has been provided by the Minister for Water.
(1) The impact is
limited by variations in tap flow rates, the number of taps flushed by the
customer in each home and customer usage patterns. The Water Corporation
encourages the community to capture water flushed as part of this process and
re-use it for watering the garden or pot plants.
(2) It was in July 2018.
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