2008/12 + 2015/22: Emu Bay (South Australia) – Trihalomethanes, Turbidity, Bromoform

Emu Bay (South Australia)

Breaches to Australian Drinking Water Guidelines Levels Only

7/01/2008 Emu Bay   North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 288 ug/L

21/01/2008  Emu Bay  North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 275 ug/L

4/02/2008 Emu Bay  North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 320 ug/L

18/02/2008 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 317 ug/L

4/03/2008 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 301 ug/L

31/03/2008 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 307 ug/L

14/04/2008 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 307 ug/L

28/04/2008 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 288 ug/L

12/05/2008 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 298 ug/L

26/05/2008 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 296 ug/L

8/07/2008 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 294 ug/L

22/07/2008 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 272 ug/L

3/02/2009 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 280 ug/L

17/02/2009 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 315 ug/L

3/03/2009 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 292 ug/L

16/03/2009 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 303 ug/L

30/03/2009 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 316 ug/L

14/04/2009 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 268 ug/L

27/04/2009 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 276 ug/L

11/05/2009 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 259 ug/L

25/05/2009 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 275 ug/L

9/11/2009 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 253 ug/L

7/12/2009 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 295 ug/L

21/12/2009 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 298 ug/L

4/01/2010 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 315 ug/L

15/02/2010 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 367 ug/L

1/03/2010 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 298 ug/L

15/03/2010 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 299 ug/L

12/04/2010 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 312 ug/L

27/04/2010 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 306 ug/L

17/01/2011 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 250 ug/L

31/01/2011 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 325 ug/L

14/02/2011 Emu Bay North Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 319 ug/L

26/03/2012 Emu Bay CTNorth Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 326 ug/L

23/05/2015 Emu Bay CTNorth Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 253 ug/L

18/01/2016 Emu Bay CTNorth Coast Rd Trihalomethanes – Total 260 ug/L

Trihalomethanes Australian Guideline Level 250μg/L (0.25mg/L)

Why and how are THMs formed?
“When chlorine is added to water with organic material, such as algae, river weeds, and decaying leaves, THMs are formed. Residual chlorine molecules react with this harmless organic material to form a group of chlorinated chemical compounds, THMs. They are tasteless and odourless, but harmful and potentially toxic. The quantity of by-products formed is determined by several factors, such as the amount and type of organic material present in water, temperature, pH, chlorine dosage, contact time available for chlorine, and bromide concentration in the water. The organic matter in water mainly consists of a) humic substance, which is the organic portion of soil that remains after prolonged microbial decomposition formed by the decay of leaves, wood, and other vegetable matter; and b) fulvic acid, which is a water soluble substance of low molecular weight that is derived from humus”. Source: https://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/index.cfm

2019/20 – Emu Bay (South Australia) Turbidity

18/3/20: Emu Bay (South Australia) Turbidity 9.6NTU, (av. 2019/20 0.97NTU)

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.

Emu Bay (South Australia) Bromoform

6/6/22: Emu Bay (South Australia) Bromoform 120ug/L (max), 19.5ug/L (av. 2021/22)

WHO Bromoform Guideline 100ug/L. Bromoform is a Trihalomethane, which combined with Dibromochloromethane, Bromodichloromethane and Chloroform amount to Total Trihalomethanes. Trihalomethanes (combined) have an Australian Guideline of 250ug/L

Natural production of bromoform by phytoplankton and seaweeds in the ocean is thought to be its predominant source in the environment.[5] However, locally significant amounts of bromoform enter the environment formed as disinfection byproducts known as trihalomethanes when chlorine is added to drinking water to kill bacteria. It is somewhat soluble in water and readily evaporates into the air. Bromoform is the main trihalomethane produced in beachfront salt water swimming pools with concentrations as high as 1.2 ppm (parts per million). Concentrations in freshwater pools are 1000 times lower.[6] Occupational skin exposure limits are set at 0.5 ppm