South Canberra, Woden, Weston Creek
Icon Water Water Quality Zone 3
2014/15: South Canberra, Woden, Weston Creek
Di–n–butyl phthalate 2ug/L
12/2/19: South Canberra, Woden, Weston Creek (Zone 3).
Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate 18ug/L
Di(2‑ethylhexyl) phthalate: Based on health considerations, concentrations in drinking water should not exceed 0.01 mg/L.
Di(2‑ethylhexyl) adipate: The data are inadequate to determine a guideline value.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
DEHP and DEHA are commonly used plasticisers in flexible polyvinyl chloride products. They may be present in drinking water that has been in contact with these products for long periods of time, or as the result of industrial spills. Overseas studies have detected DEHP in drinking water on a few occasions at concentrations from 0.00005 mg/L (50 ng/L) to 0.01 mg/L. DEHA has been detected at concentrations between 0.000001 mg/L (1 ng/L) to 0.0001 mg/L (100 ng/L) in treated drinking water.
DEHP is the most widely used plasticiser. It is also used as a replacement for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in electrical capacitors. DEHA is used as a lubricant and in hydraulic fluids. Exposure to DEHP and DEHA is widespread because of the broad range of products using these plasticisers. Food is the major source of exposure, and it has been estimated that adult daily intake of DEHP and DEHA, as a result of consumption of food in contact with plastic products, is 0.2 mg to 16 mg.
People receiving kidney dialysis treatment may be exposed to much higher amounts of these plasticisers. In the United States it has been estimated that each dialysis patient could be receiving up to 90 mg of DEHP per treatment.
TYPICAL VALUES IN AUSTRALIAN DRINKING WATER
No data are available on DEHP or DEHA concentrations
South Canberra, Woden, Weston Creek
2013/14: Asbestos. Present
Asbestos is a general term for certain fibrous silicate minerals. It can be present in drinking water from the dissolution of asbestos-containing minerals, industrial effluent, atmospheric deposition, and deterioration of asbestos cement pipes commonly used in water distribution systems.
The chemical and crystalline structure of asbestos results in products with a high tensile strength, durability, flexibility, and heat and chemical resistance. Asbestos has been used in construction materials such as asbestos cement pipes and sheets, electrical and thermal insulation, brake linings and clutch pads.
The extent of asbestos contamination of food has not been well studied because of the lack of a simple and reliable analytical method. Limited data indicate that the amount in food may be 10 times higher than that found in drinking water.
Studies in the United States and Canada have reported typical asbestos fibre numbers in drinking water of less than 1 MFL (million fibres per litre). Severe deterioration of asbestos cement pipes has been known to produce fibre numbers of up to 2000 MFL.
TYPICAL VALUES IN AUSTRALIAN DRINKING WATER
Australian drinking water supplies have not been routinely monitored for asbestos; however, fibre numbers are probably similar to those reported overseas
2020/21 – South Canberra, Woden, Weston Creek (Australian Capital Territory) Chloroacetic Acids
2020/21: Dichloroacetic Acid 54ug/L, Trichloroacetic Acid 68ug/L (Sum of Haloacetic Acids 139ug/L).
Australian Guidelines Trichloroacetic Acid 0.100mg/L, Dichloroacetic 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…