❓ A parliamentary question regarding the quality of drinking water in four Aboriginal communities, focusing on potability, nitrate levels, and testing procedures. The response details testing frequency, results, nitrate levels, and actions taken.
AnsweredQoN 5798Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
With regards to the quality of the drinking water at the Aboriginal communities of Punmu, Parnngurr, Kunawarritji and Jigalong, I ask —
(1) Is the water supply at these four communities regularly tested for pot ability?
(2) If yes to (1), how often are the tests conducted and will the Minister please table the results of the tests?
(3) If no to (1), why not?
(4) Which agency or business carries out the water quality tests?
(5) Is the Minister aware that high levels of nitrates, rivalling that found in the Gaza strip, have been discovered in the drinking water at one or more of these communities?
(6) If yes to (5) —
(a) what are the levels of nitrates in the water;
(b) what steps have been taken to identify the source of the contamination; and
(c) what treatment measures have been taken to rectify the matter?
(7) If yes to (5), does the Minister consider this to be an acceptable situation?
(8) If no to (5), why not?
(9) If no to (7), what steps will the Minister take to rectify the matter?
(1) Is the water supply at these four communities regularly tested for pot ability?
(2) If yes to (1), how often are the tests conducted and will the Minister please table the results of the tests?
(3) If no to (1), why not?
(4) Which agency or business carries out the water quality tests?
(5) Is the Minister aware that high levels of nitrates, rivalling that found in the Gaza strip, have been discovered in the drinking water at one or more of these communities?
(6) If yes to (5) —
(a) what are the levels of nitrates in the water;
(b) what steps have been taken to identify the source of the contamination; and
(c) what treatment measures have been taken to rectify the matter?
(7) If yes to (5), does the Minister consider this to be an acceptable situation?
(8) If no to (5), why not?
(9) If no to (7), what steps will the Minister take to rectify the matter?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
11 September 2012
Responded by
Minister representing the Minister for Housing
Response time
28 days
The Department of Housing advises:
(1) Yes
(2) Microbiological sampling is carried out monthly. Testing is undertaken by an approved laboratory to identify E Coli and Naegleria. (It should be noted that water can still be consumed following the detection of Naelgleria.)
The results below reflect the incidents of "non-compliance" over a 12 month period from June 2011 to June 2012.
Community: Jigalong
E Coli: Nil
Naegleria: Nil
Community: Kunawaritji
E Coli: Nil
Naegleria: 1
Community: Parngurr
E Coli: 1
Naegleria: 4
Comments: Three Naegleria fails were attributed to treatment disruptions while works on the infrastructure were being undertaken.
Community: Punmu
E Coli: Nil
Naegleria: 3
Comments: Tests have proved that the presence of Naegleria is in the actual bore, rather than the water system/infrastructure.
(3) Not applicable
(4) The Department of Housing is responsible for maintaining water quality and tests are undertaken by the Department's contractors, in accordance with Department of Health guidelines.
(5) Nitrates are present in water samples at Kunawaritji and Jigalong. The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG 2011) are the established compliance standards for Australia. There are no comparisons made during the testing regime, as the ADWG are the identified Standards used to determine compliance.
(6)(a) The mean nitrate levels are 66mg/L for Kunawaritji and 84 mg/L for Jigalong.
(b) Nitrates are naturally occurring in these regions and the source of this contamination is believed to be a result of the coating on termite excrement.
(c) As the water currently complies with the ADWG, there is no requirement for treatment systems to be installed.
(7) The Department of Health and the Advisory Committee for the Purity of Water (ACPOW) are aware of the water quality at the two communities. These two bodies will advise the Department of Housing should they consider the levels to be harmful to the health of the community population.
The current advice is to provide bottled water to mothers with infants under the age of three months who are being fed with infant formula. The Department of Housing has implemented actions to comply with the Department of Health's request.
(8)-(9) Not applicable
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(1) Yes
(2) Microbiological sampling is carried out monthly. Testing is undertaken by an approved laboratory to identify E Coli and Naegleria. (It should be noted that water can still be consumed following the detection of Naelgleria.)
The results below reflect the incidents of "non-compliance" over a 12 month period from June 2011 to June 2012.
Community: Jigalong
E Coli: Nil
Naegleria: Nil
Community: Kunawaritji
E Coli: Nil
Naegleria: 1
Community: Parngurr
E Coli: 1
Naegleria: 4
Comments: Three Naegleria fails were attributed to treatment disruptions while works on the infrastructure were being undertaken.
Community: Punmu
E Coli: Nil
Naegleria: 3
Comments: Tests have proved that the presence of Naegleria is in the actual bore, rather than the water system/infrastructure.
(3) Not applicable
(4) The Department of Housing is responsible for maintaining water quality and tests are undertaken by the Department's contractors, in accordance with Department of Health guidelines.
(5) Nitrates are present in water samples at Kunawaritji and Jigalong. The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG 2011) are the established compliance standards for Australia. There are no comparisons made during the testing regime, as the ADWG are the identified Standards used to determine compliance.
(6)(a) The mean nitrate levels are 66mg/L for Kunawaritji and 84 mg/L for Jigalong.
(b) Nitrates are naturally occurring in these regions and the source of this contamination is believed to be a result of the coating on termite excrement.
(c) As the water currently complies with the ADWG, there is no requirement for treatment systems to be installed.
(7) The Department of Health and the Advisory Committee for the Purity of Water (ACPOW) are aware of the water quality at the two communities. These two bodies will advise the Department of Housing should they consider the levels to be harmful to the health of the community population.
The current advice is to provide bottled water to mothers with infants under the age of three months who are being fed with infant formula. The Department of Housing has implemented actions to comply with the Department of Health's request.
(8)-(9) Not applicable
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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