Australian Drinking Water Map

Ti-Tree (Northern Territory) – E.coli

2007/8 Ti-Tree E.coli 2 exceedances.  96.1% of samples within guidelines

“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

Ti Tree (Northern Territory) – Nitrate

2005/6: Ti Tree Nitrate 52.1mg/L (95th %)

2006/07: Ti-Tree Nitrate 52.1mg/L

2007/08: Ti-Tree Nitrate 52mg/L

2008/2009: Ti Tree Nitrate 67mg/L

2009/10: Ti Tree Nitrate 64mg/L

2010/11: Ti-Tree Nitrate 58mg/L

2011/12: Ti-Tree Nitrate 58mg/L (95th %)

2012/13: Ti-Tree Nitrate 56mg/L (95th %)

2013/14: Ti-Tree Nitrate 60mg/L (95th %)

2014/15: Ti-Tree Nitrate 62mg/L (95th %)

2015/16: Ti-Tree Nitrate 61mg/L (95th %)

2016/17: Ti-Tree Nitrate 60mg/L (95th %)

2018/19: Ti-Tree Nitrate 60mg/L (95th %)

2019/20: Ti-Tree Nitrate 55mg/L (95th %)

2020/21: Ti-Tree Nitrate 60mg/L (av.)

Nitrate: ADWG Guideline 50mg/L. Nitrate is the product of oxygenated nitrogen created from the breakdown of organic matter; lightning strikes; inorganic pesticides; or explosives. The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines recommend that nitrate levels between 50-100mg/L are a health consideration for infants less than three months, although levels up to 100mg/L can be safely consumed by adults. Mainly a problem in Northern Territory and some communities in Western Australia. “Cue, Meekatharra, Mount Magnet, New Norcia, Sandstone, Wiluna and Yalgoo have been granted an exemption from compliance with the nitrate guideline by the Department of Health. The water supplied is harmless to adults and children over the age of 3 months of age. Carers of infants younger than three months should seek advice from the Community Health Nurse regarding the use of alternative water sources for the preparation of bottle feeds. The Water Corporation provides bottled water free of charge for this purpose.”

Ti Tree – Northern Territory – Hardness

2003/04: Ti-Tree Hardness 230mg/L

2004/05: Ti Tree Hardness 203mg/L

2005/06: Ti Tree Hardness 203mg/L

2006/07: T- Tree Hardness 206mg/L

2007/08: Ti-Tree Hardness 206mg/L

2008/09: Ti Tree Hardness 208mg/L

2010/11: Ti-Tree Hardness 202mg/L

2011/12: Ti-Tree Hardness 201mg/L

2012/13: Ti-Tree Hardness 205mg/L

2013/14: Ti-Tree Hardness 209mg/L

2014/15: Ti-Tree Hardness 222mg/L

2015/16: Ti-Tree Hardness 223mg/L

2016/17: Ti-Tree Hardness 228mg/L

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

Ti Tree (Northern Territory) Iodine

2006/07: Ti-Tree Iodide 0.11mg/L

2007/08: Ti-Tree Iodide 0.11mg/L

2008/09: Ti Tree Iodide 0.18mg/L

2009/10: Ti-Tree Iodide 0.17mg/L

2010/11: Ti-Tree Iodide 0.17mg/L

Ti Tree (South Australia) – Silica

2012/16: Ti-Tree Silica 94mg/L

2016/17: Ti-Tree Silica 89mg/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

Ti-Tree (Northern Territory) – Uranium

2003/4: Naturally occurring uranium concentrations above the guideline value have been identified in the drinking water supply at Ti Tree and Pmara Jutunta. The community has been informed and the Department of Health and Community Services has stated that there is no immediate threat to public health. A new groundwater supply has been developed close to Pmara Jutunta that has both uranium and total dissolved solids below guideline values. Power and Water is in the process of building a pipeline that will connect the new bore water supply to Ti Tree/Pmara Jutunta. The new borewater supply will be operational in 2004-2005.

2002-04: Ti Tree (Northern Territory) Uranium 0.04mg/L

Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2011

Uranium (Information Sourced From 2011 Australian Drinking Water Guidelines)
“Based on health considerations, the concentration of uranium in drinking water should not exceed 0.02 mg/L.”

Ti Tree (Northern Territory)  – Lead

2011/2012: Ti Tree Lead 0.009mg/L (max)

Lead Guideline reduced from 0.01mg/L to 0.005mg/L in June 2025. “The concentration of lead in water within premises may be higher, especially in older buildings, due to contact of the water with lead-containing plumbing products (enHealth 2021). A review found several Australian and international studies that detected up to 0.162 mg/L of lead in drinking water due to leaching from lead-containing plumbing materials including taps and lead service lines, suggesting that leaching of lead from lead-containing plumbing materials can be substantial (SLR 2023)… Based on health considerations, the concentration of lead in drinking water should not exceed 0.005 mg/L.”

Ti Tree (Northern Territory) – Selenium

2002-2004: Ti Tree Selenium 0.006mg/L (av.)

2005/2006: Ti Tree Selenium 0.003mg/L (max)

2006/2007: Ti Tree Selenium 0.003mg/L (95% percentile)

2007/2008: Ti Tree Selenium 0.003mg/L (max)

2008/2009: Ti Tree Selenium 0.003mg/L (max)

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

 

2003/22: Ti Tree (Northern Territory) – E.coli, Nitrate, Hardness, Iodine, Silica, Uranium, Lead, Selenium

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Ti-Tree (Northern Territory) – E.coli 2007/8 Ti-Tree E.coli 2 exceedances.  96.1% of samples within guidelines “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 Ti Tree (Northern Territory) – Nitrate 2005/6: Ti Tree Nitrate 52.1mg/L (95th %) 2006/07: Ti-Tree Nitrate 52.1mg/L 2007/08: Ti-Tree Nitrate 52mg/L 2008/2009: Ti Tree Nitrate 67mg/L 2009/10: Ti Tree Nitrate 64mg/L 2010/11: Ti-Tree Nitrate 58mg/L 2011/12: Ti-Tree Nitrate 58mg/L (95th %) 2012/13: Ti-Tree Nitrate 56mg/L (95th %) 2013/14: Ti-Tree Nitrate 60mg/L (95th %) 2014/15: Ti-Tree Nitrate 62mg/L (95th %) 2015/16: Ti-Tree Nitrate 61mg/L (95th %) 2016/17: Ti-Tree Nitrate 60mg/L (95th %) 2018/19: Ti-Tree Nitrate 60mg/L (95th %) 2019/20: Ti-Tree Nitrate 55mg/L (95th %) 2020/21: Ti-Tree Nitrate 60mg/L (av.) Nitrate: ADWG Guideline 50mg/L. Nitrate is the product of oxygenated nitrogen created from the breakdown of organic matter; lightning strikes; inorganic pesticides; or explosives. The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines recommend that nitrate levels between 50-100mg/L are a health consideration for infants less than three months, although levels up to 100mg/L can be safely consumed by adults. Mainly a problem in Northern Territory and some communities in Western Australia. “Cue, Meekatharra, Mount Magnet, New Norcia, Sandstone, Wiluna and Yalgoo have been granted an exemption from compliance with the nitrate guideline by the Department of Health. The water supplied is harmless to adults and children over the age of 3 months of age. Carers of infants younger than three months should seek advice from the Community Health Nurse regarding the use of alternative water sources for the preparation of bottle feeds. The Water Corporation provides bottled water free of charge for this purpose.” Ti Tree – Northern Territory – Hardness 2003/04: Ti-Tree Hardness 230mg/L 2004/05: Ti Tree Hardness 203mg/L 2005/06: Ti Tree Hardness 203mg/L 2006/07: T- Tree Hardness 206mg/L 2007/08: Ti-Tree Hardness 206mg/L 2008/09: Ti Tree Hardness 208mg/L 2010/11: Ti-Tree Hardness 202mg/L 2011/12: Ti-Tree Hardness 201mg/L 2012/13: Ti-Tree Hardness 205mg/L 2013/14: Ti-Tree Hardness 209mg/L 2014/15: Ti-Tree Hardness 222mg/L 2015/16: Ti-Tree Hardness 223mg/L 2016/17: Ti-Tree Hardness 228mg/L 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 Ti Tree (Northern Territory) Iodine 2006/07: Ti-Tree Iodide 0.11mg/L 2007/08: Ti-Tree Iodide 0.11mg/L 2008/09: Ti Tree Iodide 0.18mg/L 2009/10: Ti-Tree Iodide 0.17mg/L 2010/11: Ti-Tree Iodide 0.17mg/L Ti Tree (South Australia) – Silica 2012/16: Ti-Tree Silica 94mg/L 2016/17: Ti-Tree Silica 89mg/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 Ti-Tree (Northern Territory) – Uranium 2003/4: Naturally occurring uranium concentrations above the guideline value have been identified in the drinking water supply at Ti Tree and Pmara Jutunta. The community has been informed and the Department of Health and Community Services has stated that there is no immediate threat to public health. A new groundwater supply has been developed close to Pmara Jutunta that has both uranium and total dissolved solids below guideline values. Power and Water is in the process of building a pipeline that will connect the new bore water supply to Ti Tree/Pmara Jutunta. The new borewater supply will be operational in 2004-2005. 2002-04: Ti Tree (Northern Territory) Uranium 0.04mg/L Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2011 Uranium (Information Sourced From 2011 Australian Drinking Water Guidelines) “Based on health considerations, the concentration of uranium in drinking water should not exceed 0.02 mg/L.” Ti Tree (Northern Territory)  – Lead 2011/2012: Ti Tree Lead 0.009mg/L (max) Lead Guideline reduced from 0.01mg/L to 0.005mg/L in June 2025. “The concentration of lead in water within premises may be higher, especially in older buildings, due to contact of the water with lead-containing plumbing products (enHealth 2021). A review found several Australian and international studies that detected up to 0.162 mg/L of lead in drinking water due to leaching from lead-containing plumbing materials including taps and lead service lines, suggesting that leaching of lead from lead-containing plumbing materials can be substantial (SLR 2023)… Based on health considerations, the concentration of lead in drinking water should not exceed 0.005 mg/L.”
Ti Tree (Northern Territory) – Selenium 2002-2004: Ti Tree Selenium 0.006mg/L (av.) 2005/2006: Ti Tree Selenium 0.003mg/L (max) 2006/2007: Ti Tree Selenium 0.003mg/L (95% percentile) 2007/2008: Ti Tree Selenium 0.003mg/L (max) 2008/2009: Ti Tree Selenium 0.003mg/L (max) 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