Australian Drinking Water Map

2020/21: Home Hill (Queensland)

2020/21: Home Hill (Queensland) – Turbidity 5NTU (max), 2.1NTU (average/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

Home Hill (Qld) – Iron

2020/2021: Home Hill (Qld) – Iron 0.49mg/L (max), 0.16mg/L (mean/av.)

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

2023/24: Home Hill (Queensland) – pH (acidic)

2023/24: Home Hill (Queensland) pH Between 6.2 & 6.49 (av.)

Based on the need to reduce corrosion and encrustation in pipes and fittings, the pH of drinking water should be between 6.5 and 8.5.

New concrete tanks and cement-mortar lined pipes can significantly increase pH and a value up to 9.2 may be tolerated, provided monitoring indicates no deterioration in microbiological quality.

pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion concentration of water. It is measured on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral, greater than 7 is alkaline, and less than 7 is acidic.

One of the major objectives in controlling pH is to minimise corrosion and encrustation in pipes and fittings. Corrosion can be reduced by the formation of a protective layer of calcium carbonate on the inside of the pipe or fitting, and the formation of this layer is affected by pH, temperature, the availability of calcium (hardness) and carbon dioxide. If the water is too alkaline (above pH 8.5), the rapid deposition and build-up of calcium carbonate that can result may eventually block the pipe.

Home Hill (Queensland) – Lead

2017-2022  Home Hill Bores 1-8 (RAW) 0.0053mg/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.”

 

2020/24: Home Hill (Queensland). Turbidity, Iron, pH, Lead

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2020/21: Home Hill (Queensland) 2020/21: Home Hill (Queensland) – Turbidity 5NTU (max), 2.1NTU (average/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 Home Hill (Qld) – Iron 2020/2021: Home Hill (Qld) – Iron 0.49mg/L (max), 0.16mg/L (mean/av.) 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 2023/24: Home Hill (Queensland) – pH (acidic) 2023/24: Home Hill (Queensland) pH Between 6.2 & 6.49 (av.) Based on the need to reduce corrosion and encrustation in pipes and fittings, the pH of drinking water should be between 6.5 and 8.5. New concrete tanks and cement-mortar lined pipes can significantly increase pH and a value up to 9.2 may be tolerated, provided monitoring indicates no deterioration in microbiological quality. pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion concentration of water. It is measured on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral, greater than 7 is alkaline, and less than 7 is acidic. One of the major objectives in controlling pH is to minimise corrosion and encrustation in pipes and fittings. Corrosion can be reduced by the formation of a protective layer of calcium carbonate on the inside of the pipe or fitting, and the formation of this layer is affected by pH, temperature, the availability of calcium (hardness) and carbon dioxide. If the water is too alkaline (above pH 8.5), the rapid deposition and build-up of calcium carbonate that can result may eventually block the pipe. Home Hill (Queensland) – Lead 2017-2022  Home Hill Bores 1-8 (RAW) 0.0053mg/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.”