2018/20: Macknade (Qld) – Hinchinbrook Shire Council – PFAS Breaches
Drinking Water Quality Management Plan 2021
(* Note Bore 3 had a PFAS detection >14 times the ADWG guideline for PFHxS+PFOS in September 2018. The guideline was also breached in July 2018. Bore 4 breached the Guideline level in November and December 2020)
Macknade TP
18/7/18: PFOS 0.009ug/L
Macknade Sample Point 2
12/7/18: PFHxS 0.022ug/L, PFOS 0.056ug/L
Bore No 2 Macknade
13/9/18: PFOS 0.005ug/L
Macknade Bore 3
12/7/18: PFHxS 0.045ug/L, PFOS 0.12ug/L
13/9/18: PFHxA 0.015ug/L, PFOA 0.007ug/L, PFBS 0.018ug/L, PFPeS 0.023ug/L, PFHxS 0.26ug/L, PFHpS 0.006ug/L, PFOS 0.74ug/L
26/11/20: PFOS 0.04ug/L
Macknade Bore 4
16/8/18: PFOS 0.005ug/L
13/9/18: PFOS 0.005ug/L
27/9/18: PFOS 0.005ug/L
26/11/20: PFHxS 0.03ug/L, PFOS 0.094ug/L
17/12/20: PFOA 0.002ug/L, PFHxS 0.028ug/L, PFOS 0.13ug/L
Macknade Bore 5
12/7/18: PFHxS 0.005ug/L, PFOS 0.009ug/L
23/7/18: PFOS 0.009ug/L
2/8/18: PFOS 0.005ug/L
16/8/18: PFOS 0.006ug/L
30/8/18: PFOS 0.005ug/L
13/9/18: PFOS 0.006ug/L
27/9/18: PFOS 0.005ug/L
SP 41 Mill Road
23/7/18: PFOS 0.006ug/L
17/12/20: PFHxS 0.005ug/L, PFOS 0.02ug/L
Macknade, North Queensland
https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/pollution/management/disasters/investigation-pfas/sites/macknade-north-qld
The Queensland Government is assisting the Hinchinbrook Shire Council in response to the detection of perfluorinated substances in one groundwater bore that previously supplied part of the Hinchinbrook Shire water network.
Testing undertaken by the Hinchinbrook Shire Council and Queensland Health in July 2018 identified a single groundwater bore located near Macknade (located approximately 130km north of Townsville) which contained PFAS levels above the drinking water criteria.
Hinchinbrook Shire Council immediately disconnected the bore from the water supply and the bore no longer forms part of the water supply network.
Subsequent testing carried out by the Hinchinbrook Shire Council and Queensland Health confirms that Hinchinbrook Shire’s water supply is within Australian drinking water quality guidelines, posing no immediate health risk to people.
The Department of Environment and Science is working with the Hinchinbrook Shire Council and other State Government departments to investigate potential sources of the PFAS.