1997/2025 – Kaltijiti (South Australia) – E.coli, Silica, Sodium, Hardness, Chloride, Nitrate, Fluoride, Selenium

Kaltjiti (Fregon) Total Dissolved Solids 1997-1999: Kaltjiti (Fregon) – Total Dissolved Solids The salinity of these groundwaters ranges from 1050 to 1820 mg/L TDS with nitrate concentrations of 37-50 mg/L and fluoride concentrations of 1.3-1.4 mg/L. This water is deemed unacceptable in terms of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (1996) and poor to unacceptable according to WHO Guidelines (1993). “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. 16/8/19: Kaltjiti (South Australia) Total Dissolved Solids 1210mg/L (max), 1195mg/L (av.) (potable/non-potable) 21/8/24: Kaltjiti (South Australia) Total Dissolved Solids 1070mg/L 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. Nitrates Excessive nitrates in the diet reduce blood’s ability to carry oxygen. In infants, this can cause the potentially life-threatening Blue Baby Syndrome, where the skin takes on a bluish colour and the child has trouble breathing. Housing provides bottled water for infants under three months in communities with high nitrates. Long term solutions would likely include asset replacements or upgrades or finding new water sources, or a combination of these. Child Heath Levels Nitrate: 50mg/L. Adult Heath Levels Nitrate: 100mg/L

Kaltjiti (South Australia) – Silica 19 August 2013: Kaltijiti (South Australia). Silica 86.2mg/L 21/8/24: Kaltijiti (South Australia). Silica 80.1mg/L To minimise an undesirable scale build up on surfaces, silica (SiO2) within drinking waters should not exceed 80 mg/L. GENERAL DESCRIPTION Silica present in water is usually referred to as amorphous silica (i.e. lacking any crystalline structure). When silica is dissolved within water it forms monosilicic acid: SiO2 + 2H2O à Si(OH)4 When the concentrations of monosilicic acid increase, polymerisation of the silica occurs, forming polysilicic acids followed by formation of colloidal silica. Monosilicic acid and polysilicic acids are the forms of silica analysed when determining dissolved silica content. The deposition of silica from solutions can occur via various mechanisms. The deposition of silica that can cause the most problems for the water industry is via silica’s ability to deposit on solid surfaces that have hydroxyl (OH) groups present. Surfaces that commonly have hydroxyl groups present are glass and metallic surfaces. For example, dissolved silica will react with the surfaces of glass and begin to form a white precipitate. The silica forms silicates on the surface, resulting in silica build-up. In cases where customer complaints occur due to scale build-up, water hardness and silica concentrations should be investigated to determine the cause. Silica can be a problem in water treatment due to its ability to cause fouling of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes (Sheikholeslami and Tan, 1999, Ning 2002, Sahachaiyunta and Sheikholeslami 2002). This occurs when the dissolved silica of the concentrate becomes super-saturated, causing silicates to form in the presence of metals, and these deposit on the membrane surface. The silicate then dehydrates, forming hard layers on the membrane that reduce the effectiveness of the process… 2011 ADWG

2012/16 – Kaltjiti (South Australia) – Hardness 2012/16: Kaltjiti (South Australia) – Hardness average 284.75mg/L (4 detections out of 5 above guideline) 27/8/19: Kaltjiti (South Australia) Hardness 348mg/L (potable/non-potable) 21/8/24: Kaltjiti (South Australia) Hardness 325mg/L (potable/non-potable) 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.” Kaltjiti (South Australia) – Chloride 26/11/19: Kaltjiti (South Australia) Chloride 413mg/L (potable/non-potable) 10/8/21: Kaltjiti (South Australia) Chloride 413mg/L (max) “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 Kaltiji (South Australia) – Selenium 10/8/21: Kaltiji Selenium 0.0042mg/L Non-Potable 23/8/22: Kaltiji Selenium 0.0044mg/L Non-Potable 22/8/23: Kaltiji Selenium 0.0042mg/L Non-Potable 21/8/24: Kaltiji Selenium 0.0041mg/L Based on health considerations, the concentration of selenium in drinking water should not exceed 0.004 mg/L (2011-2025 guideline 0.01mg/L). “General description Selenium (Se) and selenium salts are widespread in the environment. Selenium is released from natural and human-made sources (such as the burning of coal). Selenium is also a by-product of the processing of sulfide ores, chiefly in the copper refining industry. The major use of selenium is in the manufacture of electronic components. It is used in several other industries, and selenium compounds are used in some insecticides, in hair shampoos as an antidandruff agent, and as a nutritional feed additive for poultry and livestock. Selenium copper alloys have also been identified as a potential replacement for lead copper alloys in plumbing products. Further information on lead replacements in plumbing products (such as selenium copper alloys) is available in Information Sheet 4.1 – Metal and metalloid chemicals leaching from plumbing products. Selenium concentrations in drinking water source waters are generally very low and depend on local geochemistry, climatic conditions (e.g. drought), pH and the presence of iron salts. Selenium in water is mainly present as inorganic compounds, predominantly selenate. Weathering of rocks and soil may result in low levels of selenium in water, which may be taken up by plants (SLR 2022). Food is the major source of intake for Australians. Cereal and grain products contribute most to intake, while fish and liver contain the highest selenium concentrations.” ADWG 2025