2007/23 – Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) – Hardness, Total Dissolved Solids, Iron, Turbidity

Nilgen (Ocean Farms) – Western Australia – Hardness

2007/08: Nilgen (Western Australia) – Hardness 302mg/L (Highest Detection Only)

2008/09: Nilgen (Western Australia) – Hardness 294mg/L (max), 292mg/L (mean)

2010/11 Nilgen (Ocean Farms)  (Western Australia) Hardness 270mg/L (max), 265mg/L (mean)

2011/12 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Hardness 270mg/L (max), 270mg/L (mean)

2013/14 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Hardness 260mg/L (max), 255mg/L (mean)

2014/15 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Hardness 250mg/L (max), 250mg/L (mean)

2015/16 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Hardness 260mg/L (max), 255mg/L (mean)

2016/17 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Hardness 250mg/L (max), 245mg/L (mean)

2017/18 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Hardness 260mg/L (max), 255mg/L (mean)

2018/19: Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Hardness 250mg/L (max), 233mg/L (mean)

2019/20: Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Hardness 250mg/L (max), 236mg/L (mean)

2022/23: Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Hardness 230mg/L (max), 230mg/L (mean)

GUIDELINE

“To minimise undesirable build‑up of scale in hot water systems, total hardness (as calcium
carbonate) in drinking water should not exceed 200 mg/L.

Hard water requires more soap than soft water to obtain a lather. It can also cause scale to form on hot water pipes and fittings. Hardness is caused primarily by the presence of calcium and magnesium ions, although other cations such as strontium, iron, manganese and barium can also contribute.”

Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2011

Nilgen (Ocean Farms) – Western Australia – Total Dissolved Solids

2008/09: Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) – Total Dissolved Solids 745mg/L (max), 735mg/L (mean)

2009/10: Nilgen (Western Australia) – Total Dissolved Solids 720mg/L (max)

2010/11 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Total Dissolved Solids 715mg/L (max), 710mg/L (av)

2011/12 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Total Dissolved Solids 724mg/L (max), 717mg/L (av)

2013/14 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Total Dissolved Solids 691mg/L (max), 687mg/L (av)

2014/15 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Total Dissolved Solids 675mg/L (max), 673mg/L (mean)

2015/16 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Total Dissolved Solids 689mg/L (max), 679mg/L (mean)

2016/17 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Total Dissolved Solids 671mg/L (max), 670mg/L (mean)

2017/18 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Total Dissolved Solids 674mg/L (max), 668mg/L (mean)

2018/19: Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Total Dissolved Solids 664mg/L (max), 621mg/L (mean)

2019/20: Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Total Dissolved Solids 662mg/L (max), 645mg/L (mean)

2022/23: Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Total Dissolved Solids 618mg/L (max), 614mg/L (mean)

GUIDELINE

“No specific health guideline value is provided for total dissolved solids (TDS), as there are no
health effects directly attributable to TDS. However for good palatability total dissolved solids
in drinking water should not exceed 600 mg/L.

Total dissolved solids (TDS) consist of inorganic salts and small amounts of organic matter that are dissolved in water. Clay particles, colloidal iron and manganese oxides and silica, fine enough to pass through a 0.45 micron filter membrane can also contribute to total dissolved solids.

2018/19: Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Turbidity

2017/18 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Turbidity 7.5NTU (max), 3.8NTU (mean)

Chlorine-resistant pathogen reduction: Where filtration alone is used as the water treatment
process to address identified risks from Cryptosporidium and Giardia, it is essential
that filtration is optimised and consequently the target for the turbidity of water leaving
individual filters should be less than 0.2 NTU, and should not exceed 0.5 NTU at any time
Disinfection: A turbidity of less than 1 NTU is desirable at the time of disinfection with
chlorine unless a higher value can be validated in a specific context.

Aesthetic: Based on aesthetic considerations, the turbidity should not exceed 5 NTU at the
consumer’s tap

2018/19: Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Iron

2017/18 Nilgen (Ocean Farms) (Western Australia) Iron 0.92mg/L (max), 0.46mg/L (mean)

Based on aesthetic considerations (precipitation of iron from solution and taste),
the concentration of iron in drinking water should not exceed 0.3 mg/L.
No health-based guideline value has been set for iron.

Iron has a taste threshold of about 0.3 mg/L in water, and becomes objectionable above 3 mg/L. High iron concentrations give water an undesirable rust-brown appearance and can cause staining of laundry and plumbing fittings, fouling of ion-exchange softeners, and blockages in irrigation systems. Growths of iron bacteria, which concentrate iron, may cause taste and odour problems and lead to pipe restrictions, blockages and corrosion. ADWG 2011