Australian Drinking Water Map

Pesticide Hot Spot: For Mackay also see Nebo Road WTP

2017/18 – Mackay (Queensland) – E.coli

July 24 2017: E. coli was detected in a sample collected from McEwens Beach as part of the routine drinking water monitoring program. It is believed the E. coli detection was due to frogs
found within the sample tap. In response to this incident a plug was installed at the sample tap to ensure no frogs could make their way back in.

“E.coli
 

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

2014/21 – Mackay (Queensland) – Lead

2014/2015: Mackay, MRC Library Lead 0.007mg/L (max), <0.003mg/kg (av.)

2017/18: 0.02381mg/L (max).

2020/21: Nebo Road Treated 0.0338mg/L (max), 0.0011(mean)

October 4 2017: Lead was detected at a concentration above the ADWG health guideline in a sample collected from Seaforth as part of the routine drinking water monitoring program.
Sample tap deterioration was deemed to be the cause of the high lead result. The sample tap
has since been replaced and a sample tap cover installed as part of MRC’s drinking water sample point refurbishment program.

Feb 26 2018: Lead was detected at a concentration above the ADWG health guideline in a sample collected from McEwens Beach as part of the routine drinking water monitoring program. Sample tap deterioration was deemed to be the cause of the high lead result. The sample tap has since been replaced.

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.”

Mackay (Qld) – Turbidity

2020/21: Mackay Reticulation (Qld) Turbidity 6.4NTU (max), 0.3NTU (mean)

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.

Mackay (Qld) – Iron

2020/21: Mackay Reticulation (Qld) Iron 0.43745 (max), 0.0199NTU (mean)

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

Mackay tap water, once rated country’s best, now brown and dirty

Jan 12 2021

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-12/mackay-tap-water-brown-and-dirty/13047630

Less than two years ago, Mackay was named as having “Australia’s best-tasting tap water”, but that honour has gone down the drain in recent weeks.

Bucasia resident Jade Hayward used to take the high quality of the city’s water for granted. Afterall, Mackay’s tap water was named Australia’s best by the Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA) in 2019.

But last week, she became alarmed when she was running a bath for her children and noticed how discoloured the water was.

“I went in to check on the bath, the water was half full and it was … a rusty dirt brown,” she said.

“You could still see the bottom of the bath, but it was still dirty to look at.

2014/21 – Mackay (Queensland) – E.coli, Lead, Pesticides, Colour, Iron, Turbidity

in , , ,

Pesticide Hot Spot: For Mackay also see Nebo Road WTP

2017/18 – Mackay (Queensland) – E.coli

July 24 2017: E. coli was detected in a sample collected from McEwens Beach as part of the routine drinking water monitoring program. It is believed the E. coli detection was due to frogs
found within the sample tap. In response to this incident a plug was installed at the sample tap to ensure no frogs could make their way back in.

“E.coli

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

2014/21 – Mackay (Queensland) – Lead

2014/2015: Mackay, MRC Library Lead 0.007mg/L (max), <0.003mg/kg (av.)

2017/18: 0.02381mg/L (max).

2020/21: Nebo Road Treated 0.0338mg/L (max), 0.0011(mean)

October 4 2017: Lead was detected at a concentration above the ADWG health guideline in a sample collected from Seaforth as part of the routine drinking water monitoring program.
Sample tap deterioration was deemed to be the cause of the high lead result. The sample tap
has since been replaced and a sample tap cover installed as part of MRC’s drinking water sample point refurbishment program.

Feb 26 2018: Lead was detected at a concentration above the ADWG health guideline in a sample collected from McEwens Beach as part of the routine drinking water monitoring program. Sample tap deterioration was deemed to be the cause of the high lead result. The sample tap has since been replaced.

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.”

Mackay (Qld) – Turbidity

2020/21: Mackay Reticulation (Qld) Turbidity 6.4NTU (max), 0.3NTU (mean)

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.

Mackay (Qld) – Iron

2020/21: Mackay Reticulation (Qld) Iron 0.43745 (max), 0.0199NTU (mean)

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

Mackay tap water, once rated country’s best, now brown and dirty

Jan 12 2021

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-12/mackay-tap-water-brown-and-dirty/13047630

Less than two years ago, Mackay was named as having “Australia’s best-tasting tap water”, but that honour has gone down the drain in recent weeks.

Bucasia resident Jade Hayward used to take the high quality of the city’s water for granted. Afterall, Mackay’s tap water was named Australia’s best by the Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA) in 2019.

But last week, she became alarmed when she was running a bath for her children and noticed how discoloured the water was.

“I went in to check on the bath, the water was half full and it was … a rusty dirt brown,” she said.

“You could still see the bottom of the bath, but it was still dirty to look at.