Queensland Water Quality: You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

Drinking plenty of water every day is essential for good health, but to really make a difference, water needs to be more than clean, it needs to be safe from chemicals and contamination.

Here are 5 facts about Queensland’s water supply that may get you thinking about your own water at home and how you should be consuming it.

1. As water travels through old pipes in the community, it can become contaminated by unwanted chemicals or heavy metals, including lead and bacteria such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Giardia and Cryptosporidium are bacteria which are commonly responsible for gastro-intestinal diseases.
2. The Department of Health and Aged Care* states water pollution from natural, human, or human-caused activity can cause health issues including cancer, gut issues and cardiovascular conditions. Water pollution can be anything from agriculture, chemical waste, rubbish and microplastics, sewerage and wastewater to extreme weather events and fracking for natural resources.
3. For the past three years, the whole of Australia has experienced La Nina, meaning cooler and wetter weather. It is forecasted by Bureau of Meteorology to change to El Nino, meaning an upcoming summer of drought, heatwaves and bushfires. How does this impact the water quality? After a bushfire, higher levels of debris, dead animals, fire retardants and ash can significantly reduce water quality.
4. Most drinking water pipes are lead free, but many other plumbing products such as brass fittings contain lead. Ingesting lead through water can cause cardiovascular issues, decreased kidney function and reproductive issues.
5. Groundwater is water that collects and flows beneath the earth’s surface. Communities in dry parts of Australia, including Queensland, often use groundwater on crops and as drinking water. Groundwater contamination lasts for a long time, as groundwater moves much slower than rivers and streams. 

What are Queensland Councils saying?

Goondiwindi Regional Council states “The water is potable but gives no guarantee of the drinking water quality once collected.” The Council encourages residents to engage an accredited drinking water carrier.

Toowoomba Region states “Water samples are tested regularly to ensure residents have a safe and secure drinking water supply. Occasionally you may notice your water is a little different from usual.”

Winton Shire Council states “Winton water does not go through any disinfection process before entering into the reticulation system.”

Bundaberg Regional Council states they will “Develop and implement a drinking water quality management system consistent with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines to effectively manage risks to drinking water quality.”

Central Highlands Regional Council states “The Emerald RWSSA found that Emeralds’ urban water supply is reasonably secure.”