Epping Forest (Tasmania) – Trichloroacetic Acid, Dichloroacetic Acid
2016/17: Epping Forrest Dichloroacetic Acid 127ug/L (max), 93.75ug/L (mean)
2016/17: Epping Forrest Trichloroacetic Acid 169ug/L (max), 106ug/L (mean)
1/9/17: Epping Forest – Dichloroacetic acid exceedance at 108 ug/L
1/9/17: Epping Forest – Trichloroacetic acid exceedance at 169 ug/L
15/8/17: Epping Forest – Trichloroacetic acid exceedance at 115 ug/L
Australian Guideline Level: Dichloroacetic Acid 0.100mg/L, Trichloroacetic Acid 0.100mg/L
“Chloroacetic acids are produced in drinking water as by-products of the reaction between chlorine and naturally occurring humic and fulvic acids. Concentrations reported overseas range up to 0.16mg/L and are typically about half the chloroform concentration. The chloroacetic acids are used commercially as reagents or intermediates in the preparation of a wide variety of chemicals. Monochloroacetic acid can be used as a pre-emergent herbicide, dichloroacetic acid as an ingredient in some pharmaceutical products, and trichloroacetic acid as a herbicide, soil sterilant and antiseptic.” Australian Drinking Water Guidelines – National Health and Medical Research Council
Epping Forest (Tasmania) – Turbidity
2016/17: Epping Forrest (Tasmania) – Turbidity 14.6 NTU (max), 4.51 NTU (mean)
2017/18: Epping Forest (Tasmania) – Turbidity 9.39 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
Epping Forest (Tasmania) Selenium
2015/2016: Epping Forest Selenium 0.0097mg/L (max), 0.0021mg/L (mean)
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
Epping Forest (Tasmania) – Colour
2016/17: Epping Forrest (Tasmania) – Colour 18 HU (max), 12.7 HU (mean)
2017/18: Epping Forest (Tasmania) – Colour 32 HU (Highest Level Only)
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…