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❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding lead contamination at Perth Children's Hospital (PCH), covering water test results, methodologies, fitting replacements, and future testing standards. The Minister provides detailed answers, including attachment of test results.

AnsweredQoN 4077Legislative Assembly

Asked

18 September 2018

Member

Mr W.R. Marmion

Portfolio

Deputy Premier; Minister for Health; Mental Health

QuestionView source ↗

(1) Can the Minister provide the final water test results undertaken by the Chief Medical Officer which showed that the Perth Children's Hospital met Australian water quality guidelines for lead content? (2) Can the Minister advise the final testing methodology that was used to sample the water outlets in the hospital? (3) Did this methodology differ from previous testing methodologies? (4) Were the same water outlets sampled as per the previous testing which failed the Australian water quality guidelines? (5) What was the highest lead content reading from all samples taken? (6) Does the hospital still have any brass fittings in the potable water system? (7) Can the Minister advise what replacement water fittings have been used in the hospital and what materials they are composed of? (8) Can the Minister advise if any of these new fittings are used in any reticulated hot water systems and if so what is the maximum temperature recommended by the manufacturer for their use? (9) Can the Minister advise how the recommended life cycle of any non-brass replacement fittings compares to that of the replaced brass fittings? (10) Can the Minister advise how many brass fittings were replaced in the Perth Children's Hospital and what was done with them once removed? (11) Can the Minister advise if any of the removed brass fittings did not comply with the Australian standards for lead content in brass? (12) Have the removed brass fittings been inspected by specialists to determine a likely reason or reasons why some experienced dezincification and consequential increased lead leaching, and if so, what was their advice? (13) Has the water testing methodology used to approve the compliance of the Perth Children's Hospital with Australian water quality guidelines been used to test any other facility in Western Australia? (14) Will the water testing methodology used to approve the compliance of the Perth Children's Hospital with Australian water quality guidelines now be adopted as the Western Australian standard for testing of water for lead content?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

18 October 2018

Response time

8 days

I am advised that: (1) Yes. See Attachment 1. (2) The final testing methodology was in accordance with the Chief Health Officer’s (CHO) endorsed Stage 2 sampling methodology. The CHO methodology is outlined in the CHO report (Report on Perth Children’s Hospital Potable Water, July 2017). (3) No. (4) Not necessarily. The testing methodology required that 304 randomly selected testable fixtures be tested. (5) 0.02200 (mg/L). (6) Yes. (7) The replacement water fittings include Thermostatic Mixing Valve assemblies (TMVs) and isolation valves. The new TMVs are composed of high technology thermoplastic polymers, polyoxymethylene (engineering thermoplastic), and stainless steel. The new isolation valves are manufactured from stainless steel. (8) Yes. They are used in the potable hot water systems and the maximum recommended temperature for these fittings (TMVs) is 90 degrees Centigrade, as advised by the manufacturer. (9) It is expected that the life cycle will be aligned with the brass fittings they replace. (10) Approximately 1859 fittings were replaced. Removed TMVs have been retained in secure storage. (11) With the exception of brass elbows in the TMV assemblies, all of the removed fittings were purchased as a product that was certified under the WaterMark Certification Scheme approval. The Managing Contractor (John Holland) sought retrospective WaterMark certification for the (removed) brass elbows. (12) Yes. The removed fittings were examined by Professor Brian Kinsella from Curtin University whose advice was the corrosion and extent of dezincification was related more to the type of fitting. The cold TMV inlet elbow connector and binder test point fittings underwent the most corrosion and dezincification when compared to the cold brass TMV connector and cold brass elbow fittings which had undergone relatively minor corrosion. The analysis demonstrated how elemental lead and lead oxide can enter the potable water system through dezincification of this type of fitting. The Chemistry Centre of Western Australia, supported by CSIRO, was also engaged to provide chemical and forensic investigation services associated with the lead contamination. (13) No. The methodology used at PCH was developed by the Chief Health Officer after monitoring of water quality at PCH identified ongoing lead contamination in the water supply, which was unique to that building. Following extensive research of other sampling methodologies used by regulatory agencies throughout the world, this methodology was developed as a site specific response. However, WA Health is aware that other regulatory agencies have considered its suitability for use in other building and situations. (14) WA Health requested that a National Procedure for sampling water within public facilities be researched and developed by the National Environmental Health Committee (enHealth) and this is expected by the end of 2018.

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