2018/22: Forsayth (Queensland) Bromate
Incident Description: Bromate – Forsayth – 0.040mg/L of Bromate was detected at the Forsayth library, which is over the health limit of .020mg/L, and incident DWI-7-49-00026 was opened. We have had no further detections over the health limit since then and only one detection of 0.016 mg/L, which was under the limit. We send updates along with detection levels to The Drinking Water regulators and Health Department monthly.
Corrective and Preventative Actions We turn over our chlorine as frequently as possible and keep it out of the sun. We have changed to purchasing hypo in 200L drums and aim to turn it over within 2 to 4 weeks when possible. This incident is ongoing at this stage while we continue to monitor. Detections seem to be rare.
GUIDELINE: Based on health considerations, the concentration of bromate in drinking water should not exceed 0.02 mg/L.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Bromate is not a normal component of water but may be formed from bromide during ozonation. Concentrations up to 0.09 mg/L have been reported in ozonated drinking water. Bromate is a strong oxidant and will probably react with organic matter in water, forming bromide as a by-product.
Bromate is used in home hair permanent-wave neutralising solutions. Although it is used in some foods overseas, Australian Food Standards do not allow bromate to be used in food in Australia.
TYPICAL VALUES IN AUSTRALIAN DRINKING WATER
It is unlikely that bromate would be present in Australian reticulated drinking water supplies unless ozonation is used for disinfection.
Forsayth (Queensland) – Aluminium
According to the ADWG, no health guideline has been adopted for Aluminium, but that the issue is still open to review. Aluminium can come from natural geological sources or from the use of aluminium salts as coagulants in water treatment plants. According to the ADWG “A well-operated water filtration plant (even using aluminium as a flocculant) can achieve aluminium concentrations in the finished water of less than 0.1 mg/L.
The most common form of aluminium in water treatment plants is Aluminium Sulfate (Alum). Alum can be supplied as a bulk liquid or in granular form. It is used at water treatment plants as a coagulant to remove turbidity, microorganisms, organic matter and inorganic chemicals. If water is particularly dirty an Alum dose of as high as 500mg/L could occur. There is also concern that other metals may also exist in refined alum.
While the ADWG mentions that there is considerable evidence that Aluminium is neurotoxic and can pass the gut barrier to accumulate in the blood, leading to a condition called encephalopathy (dialysis dementia) and that Aluminium has been associated with Parkinsonism dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the NHMRC, whilst also acknowledging studies which have linked Aluminium with Alzheimer disease, has not granted Aluminium a NOEL (No Observable Effect Level) due to insufficient and contradictory data. Without a NOEL, a health guideline cannot be established. The NHMRC has also stated that if new information comes to hand, a health guideline may be established in the future.
In communication with Aluminium expert Dr Chris Exley (Professor in Bioinorganic Chemistry
The Birchall Centre, Lennard-Jones Laboratories, Keele University, Staffordshire UK) in March 2013 regarding high levels of Aluminium detected in the South Western Victorian town of Hamilton
“It is my opinion that any value above 0.5 mg/L is totally unacceptable and a potential health risk. Where such values are maintained over days, weeks or even months, as indeed is indicated by the data you sent to me, these represent a significant health risk to all consumers. While consumers may not experience any short term health effects the result of longer term exposure to elevated levels of aluminium in potable waters may be a significant increase in the body burden of aluminium in these individuals. This artificially increased body burden will not return to ‘normal’ levels when the Al content of the potable water returns to normal but will act as a new platform level from which the Al body burden will continue to increase with age.
2015/22: Forsayth (Queensland) – Chlorate
2017/18: Forsayth (Queensland) – Chlorate 6.15mg/L (max) 2.51mg/L (av.)
2018/19 Forsayth (Queensland) Incident Description: Chlorate – Forsayth. DWI-7-49-00015. We have an ongoing incident for the detection of Chlorate, which is a parameter with no water quality criteria. We regularly detect chlorate in the treated water. We send updates along with detection levels to The Drinking Water regulators and Health Department
monthly.
“… We have an ongoing incident for detection of Chlorate – a parameter with no water quality criteria taken from the Forsayth Library. 1.45, 3.13, 19.5, 8.04 & 1.59 Mg/L was/were detected. We are testing for chlorate quarterly and monitoring the situation. We turn over our chlorine as frequent as possible and keep it out of the sun. We are working towards upgrading our treatment plant”
Etheridge Shire Annual Drinking Water Quality Management Plan 2015/16
There was 1 ongoing incident at Forsayth for the detection of chlorate which is a parameter with no water quality criteria…Incident Description: Chlorate – Forsayth. DWI-7-49-00015. We have an ongoing incident for the detection of Chlorate which is a parameter with no water quality criteria. We regularly detect chlorate in the treated water. We send updates along with detection levels to The Drinking Water regulators and Health Department monthly.
Etheridge Shire Annual Drinking Water Quality Management Plan 2017/18
Chlorite: ADWG Health 0.3mg/L.
Chlorite and chlorate are disinfection by-products of chlorine dioxide disinfection process.
“… industry are having serious problems meeting chlorite/chlorate limits that were proposed in the new Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, especially for disinfection in long distance pipelines that are dosed with sodium hyptochlorite” pers comm 18/5/11.
2021/22: There were two ongoing incidents at Forsayth for the detection of Bromide & Chlorate, which are parameters with no water quality criteria although we have now adopted guidelines…. An investigation Report was submitted on the 3-8-2021 and a guideline value of 0.8 mg/L was agreed upon for Chlorates and this ongoing incident was closed.
This financial year there were two new instances at Forsayth where the Regulator required
notification under sections 102 or 102A of the Act. The first was a 1.29 mg/L detection of Chlorate on the 19-10-2021 which has an adopted guideline of 0.8 mg/L…
“Chlorite occurs in drinking water when chlorine dioxide is used for purification purposes. The
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has concluded that chlorite is not classifiable as carcinogenic to humans and is listed in the Group 3 category. Changes in red blood vessels due to oxidative stress are a major concern with excessive levels of Chlorite in drinking water. According to the US EPA, potential health problems for people drinking Chorite above safe drinking water guideline include: Anemia in infants and young children and nervous system effects.” https://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/index.cfm
“Chlorine dioxide (chlorite) is rarely used as a disinfectant in Australian reticulated supplies.
When used, the chlorite residual is generally maintained between 0.2mg/L and 0.4mg/L. It is
particularly effective inthe control of manganese-reducing bacteria. Few data are available on
chlorate levels in Australian water supplies….Chlorine dioxide, chlorite, and chlorate are all
absorbed rapidly by the gastrointestinal tract into blood plasma and distributed to the major
organs. All compounds appear to be rapidly metabolised. Chlorine dioxide has been shown to
impair neurobehavioural and neurological development in rats exposed before birth. Experimental studies with rats and monkeys exposed to chlorine dioxide in drinking water have shown some evidence of thyroid toxicity; however, because of the studies’ limitations, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions (WHO 2005) The primary concern with chlorite and chlorate is oxidative stress resulting in changes in red blood cells. This end point is seen in laboratory animals and, by analogy with chlorate, in humans exposed to high doses in poisoning incidents (WHO 2005).” Australian Drinking Water Guidelines – National Health and Medical Research Centre
“…Subchronic studies in animals (cats, mice, rats and monkeys) indicate that chlorite and chlorate cause haematological changes (osmotic fragility, oxidative stress, increase in mean corpuscular volume), stomach lesions and increased spleen and adrenal weights… Neurobehavioural effects (lowered auditory startle amplitude, decreased brain weight and decreased exploratory activity) are the most sensitive endpoints following oral exposure to chlorite…” https://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/chlorite-chlorate/indexeng.
php#sec10_1Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality.
2015/18: Forsayth (Queensland) – Bromide
2015/16: We have an ongoing incident for detection of Bromide – a parameter with no water quality criteria taken from the Forsayth Library. 0.009 Mg/L was/were detected. Corrective and Preventative Actions We are testing monthly at this stage and monitoring the situation. We turn over our chlorine as frequent as possible and keep it out of the sun.
Etheridge Shire Annual Drinking Water Quality Management Plan 2015/16
2017/18: Incident Description: Bromide – Forsayth – 0.011mg/L of Bromide was detected at the Forsayth library which is a parameter with no water quality criteria and incident DWI-7-49-00022 was opened. We have had 1 detection 0f 0.006mg/L within the 14 monthly tests done since then. We send updates along with detection levels to The Drinking Water regulators and Health Department monthly.
Etheridge Shire Annual Drinking Water Quality Management Plan 2017/18
2018/19: Incident Description: Bromide – Forsayth DWI-7-49-00022. We have an ongoing incident for the detection of bromide, which is a parameter with no water quality criteria. Testing of the raw water shows continues detections. We send updates along with detection levels to The Drinking Water regulators and Health Department monthly.
2021/22: There were two ongoing incidents at Forsayth for the detection of Bromide & Chlorate, which are parameters with no water quality criteria although we have now adopted guidelines.
An investigation Report was submitted in April-2021 and a guideline value of 1 mg/L was agreed
upon for Bromide and this ongoing incident was closed.
An investigation Report was submitted on the 3-8-2021 and a guideline value of .8 mg/L was agreed upon for Chlorates and this ongoing incident was closed.
This financial year there were two new instances at Forsayth where the Regulator required
notification under sections 102 or 102A of the Act. The first was a 1.29 mg/L detection of Chlorate on the 19-10-2021 which has an adopted guideline of .8 mg/L.
The second was a 0.069 mg/L detection of Bromate on the 8-2-2022 which has a health limit of 0.02 mg/L.
2015/18 – Forsayth (Queensland) – Colour
2015/16: Forsayth – Colour 22 PuCo (highest level)
2017/18: Forsayth – Colour 19 PuCo (max), 4 PuCo (av.)
Based on aesthetic considerations, true colour in drinking water should not exceed 15 HU.
“… Colour is generally related to organic content, and while colour derived from natural sources such as humic and fulvic acids is not a health consideration, chlorination of such water can produce a variety of chlorinated organic compounds as by-products (see Section 6.3.2 on disinfection by-products). If the colour is high at the time of disinfection, then the water should be checked for disinfection by-products. It should be noted, however, that low colour at the time of disinfection does not necessarily mean that the concentration of disinfection by-products will be low…
2016/17 – Forsayth – Turbidity
2016/17: Forsayth – Turbidity 9.9NTU (max)
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
2015/18 Forsayth (Queensland) – Iron
2015/16: Forsayth (Queensland) – Iron 0.437mg/L (max)
2017/18: Forsayth (Queensland) – Iron 1.6mg/L (max), 0.158mg/L (av.)
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
2017/18 – Forsayth (Queensland) – Manganese
Incident Description: Manganese – Forsayth. – 0.583mg/L of Manganese was detected on the 21-10-2017 at reservoir outlet and 0.612mg/L at the Forsayth Library and incident DWI-7-49-00021 was opened. This happened because our aging DAF system was unable to perform with the raw water quality.
Manganese: ADWG Guidelines 0.5mg/L. ADWG Aesthetic Guideline 0.1mg/L
Manganese is found in the natural environment. Manganese in drinking water above 0.1mg/L can give water an unpleasant taste and stain plumbing fixtures