June 29 2023: https://www.awa.asn.au/resources/latest-news/victorian-utility-tackles-water-quality-to-improve-community-heath
The water available to residents of the south-western Victorian towns of Portland, Heywood and Port Fairy is safe to drink.
It is not for health reasons that the people living there avoid the water, preferring bottles bought from the supermarket, their own filtration systems, or even mixing what comes out of the tap with sugary cordial.
The water for these three towns is drawn from the Dilwyn aquifer, an ancient source of groundwater underlying much of south-west Victoria. And this water, seeping through rock profiles between 700 m and 1.3 km beneath the earth’s surface, picks up a lot of mineral salts on its way to the consumer.
“While the water meets the Drinking Water Guidelines, the salt is at a level where people can taste it,” explained Ian Bail, Wannon Water’s General Manager, Strategic Services.
“The taste level becomes noticeable at about 300 parts per million and the water supplied to these three towns is about 600 to 900 parts per million.”
In short: to a lot of the people in these towns, the drinking water tastes pretty unpleasant. So they avoid it.
“For those communities, it’s an equity issue that we deal with the aesthetic parameter,” Bail said.
“That led us to start thinking about how if we can change the quality of the water – if we improve that by removing the saltiness – what will that actually achieve? It won’t just be a better taste; surely it has other impacts as well.”
Addressing the problem
Identifying these other impacts was important to the utility because, until now, Wannon Water had been unable to secure the necessary funding to undertake the expensive measures needed to improve the water’s unpleasant taste, which likely involves adding reverse osmosis treatment to each town’s supply.
And that process of removing the salt also removes fluoride from water – which, ironically, is naturally at an ideal level to promote dental health.
“You’ve got the irony of natural fluoridation, but many people aren’t drinking it because it’s got salt in it – so we need to build some fluoride treatment plants as well,” Bail said.
“So there’s the infrastructure to take the salt out, fluoridation to put fluoride back in, and then there’s peripheral bits and pieces around disposing of salty brine streams from reverse osmosis plants.
“When we add all of that up for the three towns – and allowing for the very dramatic increase in capital costs for infrastructure over the last couple of years – the project now costs out at around $52 million.
“Now, this is for a total population of about 15,000 people; hence, the communities themselves can’t pay.”
Home and business impacts
But what if Wannon Water could show that treating the unpleasant flavour of the water would have advantages beyond merely addressing the residents’ dislike of the taste?
To do so, the utility produced a business case with consultancy GHD and Deakin University that highlighted further ramifications of a too-salty water supply.
“One is that the taste of the water is leading people to make choices about other things that they consume. And, generally in those communities, we see high rates of sugar-sweetened beverages, we see lower rates of drinking water consumption, we see high rates of bottled water purchases,” Bail said.
“The choices people are making with avoiding the drinking water supply are leading them to make poor health choices, and we see significantly increased rates of obesity and poorer rates of dental health.”
Another consequence was on the cost of living and commercial viability of businesses in the towns.
“The saltiness means that your household hot water service, your kettle and the other infrastructure in your house wears out much more quickly than it would on a less salty surface-water supply. So consumers, while they’re not necessarily noticing it or reporting it, are actually spending a lot more maintaining their houses because of that saltiness than they otherwise would,” Bail said.
“The same goes for commerce and industry – cafés with coffee machines are having to bring in extra cleaning and to bring in water from elsewhere to put through their coffee machines.”
The effects are being felt at a larger scale by bigger businesses as well, such as an aluminium smelter in Portland and a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Port Fairy. Both would save significant costs of treatment and reduce their overall water use if the aesthetic water quality was improved.
Bail also sees addressing the problem as being an important part of addressing Indigenous disadvantage, with Heywood having ten times the average Victorian proportion of First Nations peoples in its population, and the town being the gateway to the World Heritage-listed cultural heritage landscape of Budj Bim.
The value of aesthetics
The evidence marshalled by the utility proved compelling. In May, the Australian Government announced it would provide $26.1 million from the National Water Grid Fund to address the problem.
Combined with Wannon Water’s own financial commitment to the project, that’s enough for Wannon Water to deliver on its commitment to secure a better tasting water supply for the towns.
According to Bail, residents should have better tasting water within six years – and for some, possibly in as few as three years.
“It really is a pilot for valuing aesthetic water quality and acting in response to customer voices” he said.
“Making investment decisions about how suitable water is for what it’s intended for – not just whether it’s safe.”
Portland (Victoria) – M.kanasii
“Water was a possible source of M. kansasii infection in Portland, Victoria (Huang et al 1991) and infections were linked to spa pools in Adelaide (Lumb et al 2004)”. (Fact Sheet Mycobacterium ADWG 2011).
2 February 2016, Portland (Victoria) – Legionalla Sp.
this locality as a result of the E.coli detect. The legionella was found not to be the species that is
Portland – Victoria – Iron
2011/12: Portland (Victoria) – Iron 0.49mg/L (Highest level only)
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
Portland (Victoria) – Ammonia
2011/12: Portland (Victoria) – Ammonia 0.73mg/L (Highest level only – Ammonia as N)
Based on aesthetic considerations (corrosion of copper pipes and fittings), the concentration
of ammonia (measured as ammonia) in drinking water should not exceed 0.5 mg/L.
No health-based guideline value is set for ammonia. (0.41mg/L mg of Ammonia as N)
“…Most uncontaminated source waters have ammonia concentrations below 0.2 mg/L. High concentrations (greater than 10 mg/L) have been reported where water is contaminated with animal waste. Ammonia is unlikely to be detected in chlorinated supplies as it reacts quickly with free chlorine. Ammonia in water can result in the corrosion of copper pipes and fittings, causing copper stains on sanitary ware. It is also a food source for some microorganisms, and can support nuisance growths of bacteria and algae, often with a resultant increase in the nitrite concentration.” ADWG 2011
Portland (Victoria) – Sodium
2011/12: Portland (Victoria) Sodium 450mg/L (Highest Level Only)
“Based on aesthetic considerations (taste), the concentration of sodium in drinking water
should not exceed 180 mg/L….The sodium ion is widespread in water due to the high solubility of sodium salts and the abundance of mineral deposits. Near coastal areas, windborne sea spray can make an important contribution either by fallout onto land surfaces where it can drain to drinking water sources, or from washout by rain. Apart from saline intrusion and natural contamination, water treatment chemicals, domestic water softeners and
sewage effluent can contribute to the sodium content of drinking water.” ADWG 2011
Portland – Victoria – Total Dissolved Solids
2011/12: Portland (Victoria) – Total Dissolved Solids 860mg/L (Maximum Level)
2013/14: Portland (Victoria) – Total Dissolved Solids 790mg/L (Maximum Level)
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.
Portland – Victoria – Turbidity
2015/16: Portland (Victoria) – Turbidity 6.3 NTU (Maximum detection during year)
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.
October 22 2013 – Heywood (Victoria) – E.coli
Escherichia coli should not be detected in any 100 mL sample of drinking water. If detected
in drinking water, immediate action should be taken including investigation of potential
sources of faecal contamination.
“Coliforms are Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacteria that are capable of aerobic and facultative anaerobic growth in the presence of bile salts or other surface active agents with similar growth-inhibiting properties. They are found in large numbers in the faeces of humans and other warm-blooded animals, but many species also occur in the environment.
Thermotolerant coliforms are a sub-group of coliforms that are able to grow at 44.5 ± 0.2°C. E. coli is the most common thermotolerant coliform present in faeces and is regarded as the most specific indicator of recent faecal contamination because generally it is not capable of growth in the environment. In contrast, some other thermotolerant coliforms (including strains of Klebsiella, Citrobacter and Enterobacter) are able to grow in the environment and their presence is not necessarily related to faecal contamination. While tests for thermotolerant coliforms can be simpler than for E. coli, E. coli is considered a superior indicator for detecting faecal contamination…” ADWG 2011
Heywood (Victoria) – Chloride
2011/12: Heywood (Victoria) – Chloride 250mg/L (Highest Detection)
“Chloride is present in natural waters from the dissolution of salt deposits, and contamination from effluent disposal. Sodium chloride is widely used in the production of industrial chemicals such as caustic soda, chlorine, and sodium chlorite and hypochlorite. Potassium chloride is used in the production of fertilisers.
The taste threshold of chloride in water is dependent on the associated cation but is in the range 200–300 mg/L. The chloride content of water can affect corrosion of pipes and fittings. It can also affect the solubility of metal ions.
In surface water, the concentration of chloride is usually less than 100 mg/L and frequently below 10 mg/L. Groundwater can have higher concentrations, particularly if there is salt water intrusion.
Based on aesthetic considerations, the chloride concentration in drinking water should not exceed 250 mg/L.
No health-based guideline value is proposed for chloride.” 2011 Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
Heywood (Victoria) – Sodium
2011/12: Heywood (Victoria) Sodium 220mg/L (Highest Level Only)
“Based on aesthetic considerations (taste), the concentration of sodium in drinking water
should not exceed 180 mg/L….The sodium ion is widespread in water due to the high solubility of sodium salts and the abundance of mineral deposits. Near coastal areas, windborne sea spray can make an important contribution either by fallout onto land surfaces where it can drain to drinking water sources, or from washout by rain. Apart from saline intrusion and natural contamination, water treatment chemicals, domestic water softeners and
sewage effluent can contribute to the sodium content of drinking water.” ADWG 2011
Heywood – Victoria – Total Dissolved Solids
2011/12: Heywood (Victoria) – Total Dissolved Solids 700mg/L (Maximum Level)
2012/13: Heywood (Victoria) – Total Dissolved Solids 680mg/L (Maximum Level)
2013/14: Heywood (Victoria) – Total Dissolved Solids 680mg/L (Maximum Level)
2015/16: Heywood (Victoria) – Total Dissolved Solids 680mg/L (Maximum Level)
2017/18: Heywood (Victoria) – Total Dissolved Solids 700mg/L (Maximum Level)
2020/21: Heywood (Victoria) – Total Dissolved Solids 700mg/L (Maximum Level)
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.
Total dissolved solids comprise: sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, sulfate, bicarbonate, carbonate, silica, organic matter, fluoride, iron, manganese, nitrate, nitrite and phosphates…” Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2011
Heywood – Victoria – Hardness
2012/13: Heywood (Victoria) – Calcium Hardness 240mg/L (Highest Detection Only)
2015/16: Heywood (Victoria) – Calcium Hardness 240mg/L (Highest Detection Only)
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
Heywood – Victoria – Iron
2014/15: Heywood (Victoria) – Iron 0.440mg/L (Highest level only)
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