Author Archives: Anthony

March 13 2023: Wowan (Queensland). Poor Quality Water/Unpotable

Wowan residents push to get permanent drinking water supply after rainwater tanks run dry

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-13/central-queensland-town-wowan-pushing-for-drinking-water/102061676

Journalist: Katrina Beavan

Joelene Kapernick may have running water throughout her home, but she can’t drink it and says it’s not much use for anything.

The mum of four lives in Wowan, a small town in central Queensland with a population of about 200 people.

Wowan has a non-potable water supply that’s not suitable for drinking – instead, residents rely on rainwater tanks.

But in periods of drought, the tanks can run dry.

In the nine years Ms Kapernick has lived there with her family in a suburban home, she has had to truck in drinking water four times.

“It gets a bit much when we have six people living in our house, rainwater does not stretch far at all,” Ms Kapernick said.

“[Town water] is so bad. I don’t even know how much cutlery I’ve bought because it just rusts it if you try and wash up with it.

“It’s not even good for the toilet, [you should] see how many toilets are corroded around here.”

A spokesperson for the Banana Shire Council said building a desalination plant was too expensive, but the council was looking at other options to improve water quality.

Wowan is one of many small towns across rural Australia grappling with water security, though the extent of the problem is hard to quantify, a water security expert says.

Desalination plant too expensive

Fellow Wowan resident Robert Huston moved to town a couple of years ago and said it was not long before he noticed his clothes were being bleached in the wash.

“I don’t even feed it to my dogs, I give them rainwater from the tank,” Mr Huston said.

At the start of the year, he paid almost $5,000 to install a filtration system on the house so he could use the water for washing and showering.

He still doesn’t use it for drinking.

“I feel safer washing our clothes now. I don’t have to go to a laundromat,” he said.

Wowan’s bore has been moved multiple times since the town’s inception, and a council spokesperson said the council was looking at drilling a deeper bore in the next 12 months to try to improve water quality.

Residents like Ms Kapernick and Mr Huston said if quality could not be improved, then they wanted to see the cost of water dramatically reduced.

The council charges $1.96 a kilolitre for tier one supply in Wowan, and $2.38 for tier two.

However, the spokesperson said the council had to subsidise the supply as what it charged for the water did not cover the cost of extracting it.

Dylan Jones, who runs businesses in nearby Theodore and Dululu, is working to reopen his service station in Wowan after it was forced to close following storm damage in 2021.

Mr Jones said when it was operational, he had to use treated rainwater for the Wowan business, which was tested by the council.

When that was not available, he had to truck water in at a cost of thousands of dollars.

“That doesn’t last too long in a business … three months,” he said.

“If you haven’t got water, you haven’t got a business, you can’t serve coffees, you can’t clean.”

Water security data unknown

Less than 50 kilometres from Wowan, water is still being trucked into the town of Mount Morgan, which has struggled through drought for several years.

A pipeline to secure a permanent potable water supply to the town is now being built.

Ana Manero, with the Water Justice Hub and the Australian National University Crawford School of Public Policy, said the exact number of areas struggling with drinking water security was not known.

“We have a lot of anecdotal evidence that this is happening across Australia, [but] we are still unable to know how many people do not have access to safe drinking water, which quite frankly, is astonishing,” Dr Manero said.

“We don’t have a systematic centralised record of water quality in Australia.

“[Australia has] the technology, not only to deliver the services, but to monitor and report the places that are not meeting those targets.”

Dr Manero said a survey from the Water Justice Hub found there was a “high level of support” among the Australian population, even from those not affected by water security issues, to have drinking water supplies secured for everyone.

March 2023: Orange/Cadia Mine. Lead in Rainwater Tanks

Community-led rainwater testing near Orange finds one in three tanks have unsafe lead levels

NSW Health is retesting water after residents raised concerns about elevated traces of heavy metals, which they worry is linked to Cadia goldmine

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/13/community-led-rainwater-testing-near-orange-finds-one-in-three-tanks-have-unsafe-lead-levels

More than a third of the water samples taken from rainwater tanks near Orange as part of a citizen survey and tested by an independent laboratory showed lead results above the safe levels in the Australian drinking water guidelines.

Those results are now being re-tested by New South Wales Health in an effort to determine if there is a broader public health risk. NSW Health has not provided any updates about those test results or said whether they confirm the results of the initial testing.

Seventy-one samples from regional properties in central western NSW were analysed in a Sydney laboratory over summer after a number of residents raised concerns about the safety of their household water supplies. Twenty-seven indicated lead levels above the national guidelines.

The concerns were first flagged in response to dust clouds at the Newcrest Cadia goldmine. All samples are from properties located within 15km of the mine which do not have access to town water.

The sampling program was coordinated by the Cadia Community Sustainability Network (CCSN) with the support of Dr Ian Wright, a University of Western Sydney researcher, as part of a community science study into the impacts of the mine on water quality.

In a statement to Guardian Australia, a spokesperson for CCSN said they received results in February that “showed some rainwater tanks seemed to have accumulated heavy metal in the bottom of the tank”.

They then sent the initial samples plus a few more to a different laboratory to be tested again.

“This scoping exercise confirmed the preliminary results,” the statement said. “In total we have now tested 40 residents in the district.

“We have provided the information to the Environmental Protection Agency and NSW Health. NSW Health is planning to retest the pilot study to determine next steps.”

Wright told Guardian Australia the source of the contamination had not been confirmed, but that the lead levels were such that he recommended they seek further testing.

“The results are just gobsmacking,” he said. “There are children drinking this stuff.”

One sample showed lead levels that were 84 times the safe level of 0.01mg/L in the Australian drinking water guidelines.

Two of the samples contained traces of arsenic. A number also contained high levels of copper and zinc, but not above the drinking water guidelines.

Wright said the source of the contamination was a secondary concern.

“The primary question is a human health question,” he said. “Should there be a public health warning issued? Should people be drinking this water?”

Some of the initial 71 samples were of water collected from farm shed roofs, Wright said. Cross-contamination from farming chemicals and machinery had not been ruled out.

NSW Health last week confirmed it had been contacted by residents who were concerned about their water supply and environmental health officers had begun collecting samples of rainwater that serves as private household water supplies, which will be tested at government-approved laboratories.

But it stressed it does not have a role in investigating where the contaminants may have come from, and that management of private water supplies – which includes household rainwater tanks – was the responsibility of the property holder.

Because the results concern private water sources, they will not be released unless a broad public health risk is identified.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also confirmed it had received a complaint but said it did not comment on ongoing investigations.

Newcrest is also conducting sampling and sending water to be tested at ALS Laboratories, which are providing results directly back to both residents and the mining company.

“Some residents have started receiving their test results directly from the independent experts undertaking the testing,” a spokesperson said. “Tests show drinking water is safe for those who have received their results so far. We are still waiting for the remaining results and analysis of the large scale testing program to come through over the next couple of weeks.”

Earlier, Newcrest said allegations of dust contamination from the mine did not match its own monitoring and stressed that the cause was “currently unknown”.

CCSN said it was hoping to undertake isotope testing of the heavy metals found in the samples, which may help narrow down its origin.

“The CCSN isn’t attributing blame for this contamination until it can be clearly identified where the source has come from,” the spokesperson said. “We hope that NSW Health and the EPA will quickly determine some clear next steps for the community.”

Wright said it was possible that old water pipes and tanks could be the source of some of the metals seen in the samples, particularly copper and zinc. Lead has not been used in water pipes in Australian homes since the 1930s and the use of a lead-based solder on drinking water pipes has been banned since 1989.

NSW Health to test for heavy metal contamination in private rainwater tanks near regional goldmine

Newcrest Mining says reports of contamination do not match its monitoring data from Cadia goldmine near Orange

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/06/nsw-health-to-test-for-heavy-metal-contamination-in-private-rainwater-tanks-near-regional-goldmine

Health authorities are conducting water testing after residents reported heavy metal contamination in some household rainwater tanks near the Cadia goldmine in western New South Wales.

Representatives from NSW Health attended a community meeting hosted by the Cadia Community Sustainability Network on Sunday, after a number of people who live near the mine had their rainwater tested. Residents suggested that dust from the mine had settled on their roofs and been washed into tanks.

Most properties within a 15km radius of the mine, which is about 22km from Orange, rely on rainwater for their potable water supply.

A spokesperson for Newcrest Mining, which operates the goldmine, said it had been told about some water testing results from some residents but that the contamination did not correlate with the results of their own air quality monitoring programs.

Western NSW Local Health District said it “does not conduct investigations into environmental or ecological factors which may broadly affect the management of water collected privately, including rainwater”, but that it was assisting residents with testing their household tanks.

“Following independent testing not conducted by NSW Health, the community has raised concern with the District’s PHU [public health unit] regarding the safety and quality of privately collected drinking water at a number of private residences south of Orange,” a spokesperson said.

“The District will conduct additional sampling and testing of the drinking water at a number of those residences supplied only by rainwater, to assist residents in identifying any potential contamination which could pose a health risk.

“Should the District’s testing return results outside the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines at any residence, the PHU will provide support and advice to assess and identify immediate sources of contamination and rectify any issues of concern.”

It added that management of private water supplies such as rainwater tanks was ultimately the responsibility of the householder.

Newcrest said the cause of the contamination was “currently unknown”. It has commissioned a third party to test some of the affected tanks.

“We were made aware that some members of the local community recently undertook self-testing on their drinking water tanks that has shown elevated levels of contaminants,” a company spokesperson said.

“We’ve been part of the community for many years and are taking what we have been told seriously, as historical monitoring data shared with the community and regulator does not appear to correlate with what we have been told.”

The company said it wanted to work with the community but stressed that any support it was offering locals who say their water has been affected was in line with support it would ordinarily offer its neighbours.

Guardian Australia understands Cadia offered to arrange a laundry service and to deliver drinking water to one resident, who reported feeling unsafe using their tank water after tests ordered by the resident showed significantly elevated levels of lead and other contaminants.

“Like others, we want to understand what is behind the findings and want to work with the community to do this,” the spokesperson said. “This is our focus and a critical step to ensure the appropriate course of action can be determined, rather than determining actions based on what may or may not be the cause, which is currently unknown.”

The company was fined $15,000 by the EPA last year for failing to maintain appropriate levels of dust mitigation from its tailings storage facilities. At the time, the EPA said it had received “numerous notifications by residents of dust lift events visible from their homes”.

February 19 2023: Winkie (South Australia) – Colour, Taste & Odour

Community calls for irrigation investment to better prevent poor-quality Murray River water

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-20/riverland-water-quality-post-flood-raises-questions-about-water/101997534

A Riverland politician and a local irrigation body are calling for investments from the South Australian government to help prevent poor water quality documented throughout the 2022–23 floods.

As the Murray River spread onto flood plains it collected debris and organic matter, impacting the quality for those connected to irrigation water.

Winkie resident Vanessa Weidenhofer has irrigation water at her rental home, which is usually used for drinking, bathing and gardening.

But due to concerns around the water quality, she’s been relying on rainwater for the past two months.

“It’s horrible and we haven’t been able to shower actually. We’ve been going to friends’ houses,” she said.

“It really feels unsafe and unhealthy to be showering in it, and it kind of hurts because it feels like there’s sand or mud in your water.

“We can’t really drink the irrigation water. I wouldn’t.”

Ms Weidenhofer said the discoloured water has impacted her.

She said a bath for a toddler she was babysitting was made a lot more difficult due to the state of the water.

“I went to run the tap in the bath and it started coming out red-brown like clay, it was disgusting,” she said.

“So, I drained the bath and started filling it up with hot pots of rainwater.

“I wouldn’t be bathing or showering children in this kind of water unless people had a permanent filter right next to their house.”

Murky waters

Local member for Chaffey Tim Whetstone said while a decline in water quality could be expected during floods, it was “taking a toll” on irrigators and outlying communities not connected to town water.

He wants a state government investment to improve water quality.

“I think there is a role for the government to play to incentivise people to install rainwater tanks, storage and filtration,” he said.

“That might be some form of a sweetener when going out into the marketplace, so they can be a little bit more self-sufficient in a time when we have either a flood or a high-flow event.”

The Renmark Irrigation Trust (RIT) said at its main pump station, existing filter infrastructure can clog up quickly with organic matter during times of flood.

Currently, 10mm fish exclusion screens are in place which chief executive officer Rosalie Auricht said was dangerous to clean during peak flows.

She said the RIT was interested in modern, 2-3mm self-cleaning fish screens, which would likely cost more than $1 million.

“If we could get it, the environment would benefit because the juvenile fish stay in the river system, and the irrigation community would benefit because there would be less organic matter coming through the pipe system,” she said.

“It would be very expensive for us to do it. However, the government has contributed to these programs in the northern basin … [where] at least $26 million was made available for fish screens.

“I’d love to see something like that made available to people in South Australia.”

SA Water Minister Susan Close has been contacted for comment.

Feb/March 2023: Serpentine Dam (Western Australia). Perth Drinking Water Supply Threatened by Mining

Alcoa plans riskier mining near Serpentine Dam and massive new exploration

https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/alcoa-plans-riskier-mining-near-serpentine-dam-and-massive-new-exploration-20230217-p5clgi.html

March 7 2023: Peter Milne

Alcoa’s future mining near Serpentine Dam is a greater threat to Perth’s biggest drinking water dam than its present work which is already worrying the West Australian government.

The US firm – that contests its plans pose a greater risk – is also asking for approval to explore more than 60,000 hectares of jarrah forest in a mine plan currently with the state government for review.

Government fears that heavy rain could cause so much sediment run-off from areas already cleared by Alcoa that water from Serpentine Dam would not be drinkable for months or even years were revealed by this masthead in February.

Alcoa’s future mining poses a significant increase in risk to the dam that supplied 18 per cent of Perth’s water in 2020, according to recent internal state government documentation obtained by this masthead.

The proposed clearing and earthworks – detailed in a five-year plan submitted to the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation and a longer-term expansion proposal lodged with the Environmental Protection Authority in 2020 – includes more mining on steep hillsides near the dam where uncontrolled runoff is more likely.

Alcoa intends to clear more than 60 per cent of the forest in some creek valleys, or subcatchments. Its 2023 to 2027 mine plan includes more than 1500 hectares near the dam, more than 70 per cent of which is in “constrained areas” of greatest risk, according to the government documentation.

Contrary to the state government assessment, Alcoa’s interim vice president of Australian operations, Rob Bear, said the company was not proposing to mine in more difficult areas around Serpentine Dam.

“We have extensive experience operating in areas with similar attributes to those being proposed, including proximity to the dam and the nature of the terrain,” he said.

Bear said Alcoa was working with regulators to improve its already stringent practices, including installing hundreds of additional water monitoring bores, and in 2022 reduced the number of drainage failures by 80 per cent.

“We are aligned with government on the need to maintain responsible and safe operations to protect drinking water,” he said.

In its 2023 to 2027 mining and management program, Alcoa also wants access to more than 60,000 hectares of jarrah forest for exploration, according to a person familiar with the plans who is not authorised to talk to the media. Not all of the area explored would be found suitable for mining.

In 2022, Alcoa extracted 31.4 million tonnes of bauxite from the jarrah forest, 75 per cent of the Pittsburgh-based aluminium giant’s global production.

The ore comes from two mining areas: Huntly, which encroaches on Serpentine Dam and supplied alumina refineries in Kwinana and Pinjarra, and Willowdale, which supports the Wagerup refinery. The alumina is shipped to smelters to make aluminium.

Due to delayed mining plan approvals in WA, Alcoa is now mining lower-grade bauxite which has increased production costs, according to Alcoa’s 2022 annual report.

WA’s mining regulation staff sent to fast-track approvals instead: report

Alcoa’s 2022 to 2026 plan was only approved by State Development Minister Roger Cook in September 2022 and the 2023 to 2027 plan remains under review, a JTSI spokeswoman said.

She said under the approved plan the miner could not work in higher-risk areas without submitting a method to manage those risks that is accepted by the Mining and Management Program Liaison Group, a committee of bureaucrats that approves Alcoa’s mining.

Higher-risk areas include anywhere with a slope greater than 16 degrees and subcatchments where Alcoa plans to clear more than 30 per cent of the vegetation.

Most mining in WA is assessed by the independent Environmental Protection Authority and regulated by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.

However, under a 62-year-old legislated agreement with the state, Alcoa’s mining is governed by the liaison group that is led by JTSI – the department tasked with promoting industry, not protecting the environment – and its plans are regarded by the government as commercial in confidence.

In late 2022, Cook gave Alcoa 12 expectations it had to meet to get future mine plans approved.

According to recent internal state government documentation obtained by this masthead, Alcoa then submitted a plan that inadequately addressed these expectations.

WA Forest Alliance convener Jess Beckerling said the level of risk and secrecy surrounding Alcoa’s mining has reached a tipping point and a full and transparent assessment was required.

Last week the alliance referred the 2022-2026 and 2023-2027 plans to the WA EPA, which has 28 days to decide whether it will investigate.

Alcoa’s operations in WA are 40 per cent owned by ASX-listed Melbourne company Alumina Limited.

Alcoa was warned for years about Perth water threats, so why is our biggest dam at risk?

https://www.theage.com.au/environment/sustainability/alcoa-was-warned-for-years-about-perth-water-threats-so-why-is-our-biggest-dam-at-risk-20230208-p5civr.html

Feb 9 2023: Hamish Hastie & Peter Milne Reporters

(Serpentine Dam surrounded by bauxite mining)

The West Australian government continued to approve Alcoa’s bauxite mining practices, which threaten Perth’s drinking water supply, despite its own departments raising grave concerns about the issue for at least two years.

This masthead can also reveal that the US aluminium giant’s latest mining plans have not met strict expectations set by State Development Minister Roger Cook.

Internal government advice obtained by this masthead exposed serious fears that Alcoa’s mining practices near the Serpentine Dam left the water vulnerable to flows of pollutants and disease-causing pathogens from mining sediment in the event of heavy rainfall.

Alcoa experienced 227 drainage failures and spilled more than 100,000 litres of diesel and hydraulic oil over the past five years including in water catchment zones throughout the Darling Scarp.

A large sediment flow into the Serpentine Dam, which provided 18 per cent of Perth’s drinking water last year, could potentially shut it down for years and result in billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money spent to fix the problem.

The advice shows the Water Corporation, Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) and Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI) had frequently raised these concerns with Alcoa over the past two years, but the company’s latest mining plans did not adequately address them.

The fears revolved around the company’s continued push to a non-peer reviewed, self-regulatory pit-level approach to mining in high-slope water catchment areas.

The advisers lamented their concerns had been ignored by Alcoa in its latest mining management program proposal – a rolling five-year plan approved annually by a panel of bureaucrats including JTSI, DWER and Water Corporation, which is signed off by Cook.

The freshest concerns were raised in government feedback to the 2023-27 plan, which advisers said had insufficient information to assess the risks to public drinking water catchments and dams, and was not backed by peer-reviewed science.

The list of expectations

The advisers raised further concerns about Alcoa’s responses to a list of 12 expectations placed on the company’s future mining operations by Cook in his September 2022 approval of last year’s plan.

These expectations included an obligation on Alcoa to submit a 10-year mine plan for assessment by the government panel and that future approvals must have concurrence from Cook, Environment Minister Reece Whitby, and Water Minister Simone McGurk.

Cook also wanted to re-establish a hydrology committee, shut down in 2015, that provided advice to the minister on bauxite mining’s impact on the movement of water in the Perth Hills.

This point was echoed by a spokeswoman from the Water Corporation, who said there was capacity for it to be reconvened.

Despite Cook’s stern expectations, the government’s advice trashed Alcoa’s response, claiming its latest plan was limited, incomplete and not subject to peer review.

Upper house Greens MP Brad Pettit questioned whether political pressure had a part to play in Alcoa’s mining plans being approved at the same time as bureaucrats warned of a major threat to Perth’s drinking water.

Cook, Whitby and McGurk met with Alcoa on December 15 last year, which followed a meeting between Premier Mark McGowan and Alcoa’s global chief executive Roy Harvey in November.

A state government spokesman said McGowan and the senior ministers made it clear in their meetings that risks to Perth’s water sources needed to be appropriately managed.

In addition to Cook’s 12 expectations, the spokesman said Alcoa’s 2022-26 mining plan was approved subject to conditions it did not mine higher-risk areas without submitting a revised risk management plan addressing the government’s concerns.

“To date, Alcoa has not satisfied those concerns and is not currently mining in these areas,” he said.

A JTSI spokesman said the government panel – known as the Mining and Management Program Liaison Group – would not recommend approval of mining in these higher-risk areas until it was satisfied the concerns were addressed.

An Alcoa spokeswoman said the company operated according to its mining and management programs, took its responsibilities seriously and its mining operations had never impacted drinking water supply.

“We continue to work cooperatively with relevant government bodies to address evolving expectations for environmental management,” she said.

Water Corporation tests of Perth dam water quality from 2019 to 2022 found no issues.

How does Alcoa get its approvals?

Alcoa’s approval to mine the Darling Scarp on a lease that spans from Collie to Gidgegannup stems from a State Agreement first inked by the Charles Court’s government in 1961.

It is this legislation and subsequent amendment acts that include the requirement to submit mining management plans annually, their assessment by the government panel, and approval requirements by the state development minister.

This panel is chaired by JTSI and comprised of public servants from Water Corporation; DWER; the departments of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety; Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions; and Planning, Lands and Heritage.

The panel oversees all of Alcoa’s bauxite mining operations including vegetation clearing permits and mine design, but its decisions are not made public and there is no opportunity for public comment.

Pettitt called for an overhaul of the approvals processes for Alcoa’s bauxite mining.

Alcoa recently self-referred a proposal to the Environmental Protection Authority WA for approval to clear more than 6700 hectares for the expansion of its Huntly mine.

Experts break down health risk of Alcoa mining threat

https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/experts-break-down-health-risk-of-alcoa-mining-threat-20230207-p5ciq1.html

Feb 8 2023: Jesinta Burton Reporter

Water quality experts have shed light on the health risks posed by drinking water contaminants amid revelations the government is worried that Alcoa’s bauxite mining practices could shut down Perth’s biggest dam.

On Wednesday, this masthead revealed internal state government documents indicated Alcoa’s operation in the jarrah forest was presenting an increasing threat to the nearby Serpentine Dam, a key part of the city’s drinking water supply network.

Authorities believe the threat has been amplified by a shift in the miner’s practices which has increased the risk of sediment washing into the dam and dragging with it chemical pollutants and disease-causing pathogens.

The government, which has raised concerns with Alcoa, was told by the Water Corporation a spill could necessitate a $2.6 billion spend to clean up the water and force a shutdown of the 78 billion-litre dam which comprises almost one-fifth of Perth’s total water supply.

The dam stores surface runoff, groundwater and desalinated water to meet base load and peak demand in the network, which services more than two million people throughout Perth, the South West, the Goldfields and the agricultural regions.

Though monitoring by the Water Corporation shows water quality to have been “very good”, the state-owned authority said the introduction of pathogens would present a significant risk to public health.

There are strict rules over which human activities can take place in the reservoir protection zone to prevent pathogens entering the water system.

But while disease-causing organisms, viruses and bacteria contaminating a water source are a concern, University of NSW water quality expert Professor Stuart Khan said the threat posed by sediment in the water was two-fold.

Speaking generally, Khan told this masthead sediment runoff had the potential to drag pathogens into the water and impact water treatment processes, making them less effective at removing pathogens and other harmful contaminants.

In the case of bauxite mining, he said that could include everything from dissolved chemicals like aluminium oxide and iron oxide, to heavy metals like cadmium and mercury from crushed rocks.

“A disruption to the treatability of the water can carry very serious public health risks if you don’t have the proper conditions to achieve effective disinfection,” he said.

“The other issue is pH change. If you start to get a highly alkaline or an acidic runoff into that water, or high concentrations of metals like manganese and aluminum, then that makes the water more difficult to treat.”

Unless a water treatment plant was specifically designed to address that problem, Khan said it would not be a quick fix and could take water quality issues directly to the taps of consumers.

The risks of an ever-changing landscape

Alcoa has been clearing to mine bauxite in the jarrah forest for six decades under long-standing state agreements, with its lease spanning a 12,600-square-kilometre area between Perth and Collie.

But the government believes the threat posed by the operation has rapidly increased in recent years, with deeper mine pits, more unrehabilitated areas, and increased removal of the loose rock that sits on top of bedrock across the catchment making it more prone to erosion.

The company has also been moving closer to the water supply, with parts of the operation now within 300 metres of the dam edge.

The likelihood of sediment and dissolved substances travelling into waterways drastically increases during heavy rainfall and extreme weather events in areas susceptible to erosion.

And that is especially problematic in drinking water catchments.

It’s something NSW authorities found out firsthand when a fire swept through a drinking water catchment in western Sydney in 2020, destroying the forest, destabilising the land and sending sediment, ash and debris into Warragamba Dam. This made the water difficult to treat.

The southern half of WA is no stranger to the effects of climate change, which have already resulted in a 20 per cent decline in rainfall and forced the network to rely on other water sources.

University of Western Sydney water quality expert, Professor Ian Wright, said threats to the stability of the landscape were only growing with the increasing frequency of extreme weather events.

“Really, there’s nothing better than forests [for a water catchment]. When you clear the topsoil to get to that bauxite, you increase the risk of erosion and disrupting the salinity,” he said.

“What’s clear is that we’re getting more extreme weather, both drought and heavy rain.

“For a destabilised landscape like a water catchment affected by clearing and mining, this extreme rain, even with rehabilitation techniques that do their best, can make it really hard to hold together the landscape.”

Edith Cowan University researcher Pierre Horwitz echoed those sentiments, and said mining in a water catchment had the potential to change the hydrology and contaminate the water, issues which would persist for many, many years.

A WA government spokesperson said the state had made clear to Alcoa that the drinking water risks needed to be appropriately managed.

An Alcoa spokesperson said the company was improving its water management and monitoring, voluntarily agreeing to stringent reporting of water management-related events.

The company also said it was committed to being a sustainable miner and monitoring its operations, having rehabilitated 6370 of the 7700 hectares it had cleared in WA over the past decade.

Alcoa mining threatens Perth’s drinking water

Feb 8 2023: https://www.watoday.com.au/environment/sustainability/alcoa-mining-threatens-perth-s-drinking-water-20230207-p5cijm.html

Feb 8 2023: Peter Milne Reporter

Drinking water from Perth’s biggest dam could be rendered undrinkable for years thanks to alarming mining practices by Alcoa, potentially causing restrictions and costing the state up to $2.6 billion to clean it up.

The US aluminium giant mines bauxite within 300 metres of the Serpentine Dam, and the risk of sediment flowing into the waterway increased when it changed its methods about five years ago.

Government advisers fear heavy rain could wash so much sediment containing chemical pollutants and disease-causing pathogens into the dam that the water would not be drinkable for months or even years.

Alcoa’s changed mining practices and the risk to Perth’s water supply are detailed in recent internal state government documentation obtained by this masthead.

Serpentine Dam currently holds 78 billion litres of water, enough to supply Perth’s two million people for two months of peak summer consumption. The dam stores surface runoff from the surrounding forest, as well as water from underground aquifers and desalination plants.

The state government’s assessment is that the threat from Alcoa’s mining, just 55 kilometres from the centre of the city, has increased rapidly in recent years.

The company that has mined the northern jarrah forest for 60 years is now working in hillier areas, digging larger pits, and leaving more land unrehabilitated, all of which make sediment runoff more likely, according to the documentation.

The $13 billion company recorded 227 drainage failures across its WA mines in the past five years, and sediment flowed into the dam 46 times in 2021.

In the same period more than 100,000 litres of diesel and hydraulic oil spilled from its truck and earthmoving equipment fleet. In 2022, there were 137 spills with an average volume of 125 litres.

Three state government ministers met with Alcoa in December over concerns about its mining close to the dam.

An Alcoa spokeswoman said it was improving its water management and monitoring and had cut reportable drainage failures to 19 in 2022, only one of which affected a dam. She said all spill areas were cleaned, and it had detected no hydrocarbons downstream from its mining.

“If Alcoa is doing this in one of the most sensitive and public areas, what are they doing further from public view?”

WA Forest Alliance director Jess Beckerling

“Alcoa voluntarily has agreed to stringent reporting of water management-related events that occur in our mining areas,” she said.

“We remain committed to being a sustainable miner and using leading management and monitoring practices in our operations.”

WA Forest Alliance director Jess Beckerling said the risk to Perth’s water supply was unacceptable and immediate action was required.

“If Alcoa is doing this in one of the most sensitive and public areas what are they doing further from public view?” she said.

How Alcoa shapes the land it mines determines whether sediment-laden water reaches the dam or not.

An agreement between Alcoa and Water Corporation requires water from a one in 20-year downpour be retained in sumps for at least five minutes and then drain into bushland, not into streams that feed the dam.

A spokeswoman for Water Minister Simone McGurk said the government had told Alcoa it must appropriately manage risks to dam water quality from its activities.

A review of water monitoring of Perth’s dams for the three years to June 2022 showed all dams, including Serpentine, were very good, the spokeswoman said.

The Alcoa spokeswoman said the company had cleared 7700 hectares in WA in the past decade and rehabilitated 6370 hectares.

The Pittsburgh-based company mines bauxite from a vast 12,600-square-kilometre lease that covers much of the northern jarrah forest from inland of Perth to Collie, 165 kilometres to the south.

In 2022 the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded with high confidence the biodiverse region was at risk of ecological collapse due to hotter, drier conditions and more fires.

In January, Alcoa chief executive Roy Harvey told Wall Street analysts WA, where the company employs about 4000 people, was critical.

It has three refineries in the state to process the bauxite into aluminium oxide that is shipped to aluminium smelters around the world.

The WA operation is operated by Alcoa and owned by a joint venture, 60 per cent owned by Alcoa and 40 per cent by ASX-listed Alumina Limited, that also has a stake in Victoria’s Portland aluminium smelter as well as overseas operations.

The state-owned Water Corporation estimates facilities to make contaminated water drinkable could take five years to build at a cost up to $2.6 billion for all dams affected by mining.

January 2023: Coutts Crossing (NSW) – Boil Water Alert

January 2023: Boil Water Alert Clarence River/Coutts Crossing (NSW)

Due to a prolonged dirty water event in the Nymboida River, immediate Level 4 (Severe) Water Restrictions have been introduced in order to avoid the need to call a Boil Water Alert for the whole Clarence Valley water supply system.

The Boil Water Alert for Coutts Crossing issued on 30 January remains in place.

Level 4 restrictions ban all outside watering (except use of grey water).

See the tables attached for the current restrictions in place for specific water uses under Level 4 restrictions.

For more information on permitted uses please refer to the Water Restrictions Policy on Clarence Valley Council’s website.

Restrictions will be reviewed when the water quality in the Nymboida River improves. Council appreciates cooperation and understanding of residents in this matter.

Jan 28 2023: Mathoura (NSW) – Dirty Water

Murray River to flush out ‘muddy’ water

Jan 28 2023: https://www.sheppnews.com.au/news/murray-river-to-flush-out-muddy-water/

A raw and filtered water main flushing program will begin in Moama and Mathoura next week.

The flushing process is designed to wash out any accumulated dissolved mineral sediments that may be sitting in the water mains.

Partly resulting from the floods, it is intended to help eliminate the muddy taste and odour being reported by some Murray River households due to ongoing impacts from the flood event.

While flushing is being undertaken, customers may notice discoloured water and reduced water pressure in their homes, businesses and gardens.

Murray River Council says “this is normal”.

“The discolouration will clear up and the pressure will come back as we move into different areas,” council said.

“The discoloured water does not pose a health risk.

“Our teams are encouraging water customers to check for discolouration, particularly prior to using washing machines.

“If you do experience discoloured water, please run the cold water tap for 5 to 10 minutes until it clears.

“If the discolouration continues past this timeframe, contact council on 1300 087 004 and lodge a service request.”

Daily updates will be provided on council’s Facebook page advising the areas where flushing will occur the following day.

Signs will also be displayed at the entrance to each area while flushing is occurring.

It is expected that the program will be completed by the end of February 2023.

Council assured the community that the drinking water is tested daily and is within the requirements of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

“Should further action be required to improve water quality (following the flushing program), council will advise residents prior to undertaking these works,” council said.

“We ask residents who are experiencing issues to firstly run their tap for a minimum of five mins in an attempt to resolve the issue.

“Should the issue persist, please contact council and provide your location and contact details.”

Jan 19 2023: Flinders University study finds key connection in fighting Legionnaires

Flinders University study finds key connection in fighting Legionnaires’

Jan 19 2023: https://indiaeducationdiary.in/flinders-university-study-finds-key-connection-in-fighting-legionnaires/

A new study of domestic and hospital drinking water systems found Legionella in 41% of samples – with Flinders University researchers making a key connection between the pathogen’s co-existence with a ‘host’ microorganism in all samples tested.

The Flinders University study found Legionella bacteria “infect the amoeba host and then once inside these hosts are protected from disinfection strategies,” says Associate Professor of Environmental Health Harriet Whiley, a co-author of the new journal article in Water Research.

Researchers tested for Legionella and its likely amoebae hosts in 140 samples of water or biofilm (the slime found on showerheads and end of faucets) to understand how the potentially dangerous bacterium colonises and proliferates in both domestic and hospital plumbing and poses a threat to human health.

Legionnaires’ disease is a severe pneumonia-like infection that can be fatal. Globally the number of Legionnaires’ disease cases is increasing, with elderly and immunocompromised people at the highest risk.

“It is vital that we strive to improve the management of our water distribution systems, particularly in high risk setting such as hospitals, to protect vulnerable populations,” says Associate Professor Whiley, from the Flinders College of Science and Engineering.

“Having a better understanding of the relationships between these amoebae and Legionella is an important step in improving future water treatment processes aimed at controlling Legionella and preventing Legionnaires disease.”

L. pneumophilia is the main cause of Legionnaires’ disease and is not transmitted from person to person but caused by inhalation or aspiration of contaminated water.

Light microscopic images of trophozoites (active form; image A, B and D) and cysts (dormant form; image: C and D circular in shape) of Acanthamoeba (image A, B and C) and Vermamoeba vermiformis (image D) shown at 100 times magnification.
Maintenance and monitoring of water systems is a common preventive step to reduce public risk.

“To our knowledge, this is the first time the amoebae Allovahlkampfia and Stenamoeba have been demonstrated as hosts of L. pneumophila in Australian drinking water,” says Flinders University PhD candidate Muhammad Atif Nisar, who conducted the study.

The findings support the need further research to investigate the prevalence of Legionella as well as free-living amoebae in domestic and commercial water systems and to improve guidelines to better control water systems and safeguard the public health.

Associate Professor Harriet Whiley and Dr Muhammad Atif Nisar in the Environmental Health Laboratory.
“Free-living amoebae are ubiquitous in the environment and cause both opportunistic and non-opportunistic infections in humans. Some amoebae are the natural reservoirs of opportunistic plumbing pathogens, such as Legionella pneumophila,” says Mr Atif Nisar.

“There is a need for future research to improve disinfection strategies against amoeba to reduce their colonisation within building drinking water systems.”

Up to 75% of the drinking water or biofilm samples tested positive for free-living amoebae. This included V. vermiformis which was present in 55% of samples and Acanthamoeba was present in 11%.

As well as being hosts for Legionella, Acanthamoeba and V. vermiformis are pathogens that can cause severe eye infections, with contact lens users and immunocompromised individuals at greatest risk.

The water samples were collected from showers and hand basins located in domestic houses and hospitals across New South Wales and South Australia.

These results demonstrate the importance of amoebae in engineered water systems, both as a pathogen and as a reservoir of Legionella.

“Future water management protocols should incorporate improved treatment strategies to control amoebae to reduce the risk to end-users,” adds Mr Atif Nisar.

Jan 12 2023: Deniliquin (NSW) Taste and Odour

Water safe to drink, says council

Jan 12 2023 (Shepparton News)

Residents of Deniliquin may currently be noticing some discolouration and an unpleasant taste and odour of their water supply.

Edward River Council acting director infrastructure Katrina Bennett said while it may not “look, taste or smell the best, the water is safe to drink.”

Council provides water in accordance with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

Whilst aesthetically unappealing, the water is not harmful.

“We acknowledge that the colour, taste and odour of the water is not optimum, however can confidently reassure the community that the water quality remains within requirements and there is no need for residents to boil their drinking water,” Ms Bennett said.

All NSW Water Utility supply systems are heavily regulated by NSW Health to ensure that the water is safe and fit for drinking.

“Council undertakes strict and regular monitoring and testing of our water quality with the water sampled and analysed through all stages of collection, treatment, storage, and distribution.

“Our teams are currently flushing the water mains in areas of concern to help alleviate the problem as quickly as possible.

“Unfortunately, the current discoloured water issue affecting some residents is due to high levels of manganese in the river water due to the floods.

“This can be difficult to treat as it stays soluble in the water until it oxidises once it’s treated with chlorine and pH correction; both of which are vital to ensure the water is safe to drink.

“We will continue to monitor our water quality vigilantly.”

9/3/22: Waikerie (South Australia) – Total Haloacetic Acid

Waikerie (South Australia) – Total Haloacetic Acid

9/3/22: Waikerie (South Australia) Total Haloacetic Acid (HAA 9) 101ug/L (max) 86.5ug/L (av. 2021/22)

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…

2/3/22: Seaford (South Australia) – Total Haloacetic Acid

Seaford (South Australia) – Total Haloacetic Acid

2/3/22: Seaford (South Australia) Total Haloacetic Acid (HAA 9) 99ug/L (max)

Australian Guidelines Trichloroacetic Acid 0.100mg/L, Dichloroacetic Acid 0.100mg/L

7/3/22: Woodfield South (South Australia). Bromodichloromethane

Woodfield South (South Australia) – Bromodichloromethane

7/3/22: Woodfield South (South Australia) Bromodichloromethane 64ug/L (max), 48.17ug/L (av. 2021/22)

WHO Guideline level BDCM: 60ug/L (Australian Guideline for BDCM is included in the Trihalomethane (THM) combined total of BDCM, Chloroform, Dibromochloromethane and Bromoform. THM guideline is 250ug/L)

“Carcinogenicity : Bromodichloromethane is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in experimental animals.
Cancer Studies in Experimental Animals: Oral exposure to bromodichloromethane caused tumors at several different tissue sites in mice and rats. Administration of bromodichloromethane by stomach tube caused benign and malignant kidney tumors (tubular-cell adenoma and adenocarcinoma) in male mice and in rats of both sexes, benign and
malignant liver tumors (hepatocellular adenoma and carcinoma) in female mice, and benign and malignant colon tumors (adenomatous polyps and adenocarcinoma) in rats of both sexes (NTP 1987, ATSDR 1989, IARC 1991, 1999).

17/3/22: Wingfield (South Australia). Bromodichloromethane

Wingfield (South Australia) – Bromodichloromethane

17/3/22: Wingfield (South Australia) Bromodichloromethane 60ug/L (max), 47ug/L (av. 2021/22)

21/4/22: Gepps Cross (South Australia) – Bromodichloromethane

Gepps Cross (South Australia) – Bromodichloromethane

21/4/22: Gepps Cross (South Australia) Bromodichloromethane 63ug/L (max), 41.5ug/L (av. 2021/22)

27/1/22: Teringie (South Australia) – Bromodichloromethane

Teringie (South Australia) – Bromodichloromethane

27/1/22: Teringie (South Australia) Bromodichloromethane 65ug/L (max), 49.33ug/L (av. 2021/22)

17/3/22: St Morris (South Australia). Bromodichloromethane

St Morris (South Australia) – Bromodichloromethane

17/3/22: St Morris (South Australia) Bromodichloromethane 61ug/L (max), 46.25ug/L (av. 2021/22)

10/2/22: Rostrevor (South Australia). Bromodichloromethane

Rostrevor (South Australia) – Bromodichloromethane

10/2/22: Rostrevor (South Australia) Bromodichloromethane 61ug/L (max), 47.33ug/L (av. 2021/22)

10/2/22: Norwood (South Australia). Bromodichloromethane

Norwood (South Australia) – Bromodichloromethane

10/2/22: Norwood (South Australia) Bromodichloromethane 61ug/L (max), 49.42ug/L (av. 2021/22)

25/1/22: Huntfield Heights (South Australia) – Bromodichloromethane

Huntfield Heights (South Australia) – Bromodichloromethane

25/1/22: Huntfield Heights (South Australia) Bromodichloromethane 60ug/L (max), (47.9ug/L 2021/22 av.)

9/3/22: Inkerman (South Australia). Bromodichloromethane

Inkerman (South Australia) – Bromodichloromethane

9/3/22: Inkerman (South Australia) Bromodichloromethane 61ug/L (max), 48.8ug/L (av. 2021/22)

15/12/22: Boil Water Alert lifted for Crystal Creek (NSW)

15 Dec 2022 Crystal Creek (NSW)

https://www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/council/news-updates/latest-news/media-releases/1378966-boil-water-alert-lifted-for-bray-park-affected-parts-of-murwillumbah-and-out-to-crystal-creek

Boil Water Alert Lifted for Bray Park, affected parts of Murwillumbah and out to Crystal Creek

After consulting NSW Health, Tweed Shire Council advises all residents in Bray Park, Murwillumbah and out to Crystal Creek that tap water is now safe to drink.

This applies immediately.

Testing confirms the water supply system has been filled with freshly treated water that is safe.

There is no longer a public health concern over the quality of drinking water, and it is now considered safe for all typical uses including drinking, preparing food and beverages, personal washing, dishwashing, laundry purposes and flushing toilets.

Council has worked closely with NSW Health in the past 48 hours to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

To protect the health of the community, our crews have emptied the Glencoe Reservoir at North Arm, treated the reservoir with chlorine and refilled the tank. They have also flushed the watermains in the area to reintroduce safe, clean water to the local water supply system.

Scientists from the NATA-accredited Tweed Laboratory Centre have tested the tap water at 6 sites and have confirmed it meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and is safe to drink.

Before drinking water, residents should flush out affected water from their pipes with running water for 2 to 3 minutes, including the tap most distant from their water meter, which is usually in backyards.

15/12/22: Bray Park – Boil Water Alert Lifted

15 Dec 2022 Bray Park

https://www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/council/news-updates/latest-news/media-releases/1378966-boil-water-alert-lifted-for-bray-park-affected-parts-of-murwillumbah-and-out-to-crystal-creek

Boil Water Alert Lifted for Bray Park, affected parts of Murwillumbah and out to Crystal Creek

After consulting NSW Health, Tweed Shire Council advises all residents in Bray Park, Murwillumbah and out to Crystal Creek that tap water is now safe to drink.

This applies immediately.

Testing confirms the water supply system has been filled with freshly treated water that is safe.

Council has worked closely with NSW Health in the past 48 hours to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

Scientists from the NATA-accredited Tweed Laboratory Centre have tested the tap water at 6 sites and have confirmed it meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and is safe to drink.

2022: Eugowra (NSW) – Boil Water Alert

Drinking water turns ‘evil’ in string of Aussie town

https://au.news.yahoo.com/drinking-water-turns-evil-several-aussie-towns-015449023.html

Drinking water straight from the tap is no longer possible in several NSW regions after flooding contaminated supplies.

To prevent illness, boil water notices were issued this year for several towns including Nimbin, Eugowra and Narrandera. Images shared to social media show discoloured brown water which a Moama resident said came from her kitchen tap.

Western Sydney University water scientist Dr Ian Wright told Yahoo News Australia he’s never seen so many boil water alerts in NSW.

He notes extreme weather like flood, fire and dust storms put “huge pressure” on water systems. “Floods are really just a great way of mobilising every known pollutant in a landscape and sending it down the river,” he said.

The health risks of contaminated water

Dr Wright warns it is not just drinking unboiled water that can prove harmful. Even contact with skin can have devastating results. “Health authorities always warn us to limit physical contact with floodwater, particularly if you’re elderly, or have cuts and scratches,” he said.

When analysing water, his team looks for faecal coliform indicators. Their presence indicates there is warm-blooded animal waste in the supply. “I’ve tested a lot of water after floods and it’s just evil. We grab samples and test them in the lab the bacteria results just light up.”

Bacteria, viruses and parasites like giardia and cryptosporidium can enter the water supply after flooding. If people drink affected water without boiling it, Dr Wright warns you’re “spinning the chamber in the revolver”. “It’s absolutely Russian roulette.”

“The advice is boil the water, but you don’t just boil it like you’re making a cup of tea, you boil it and leave it on what they call a rolling boil,” he said. “So you hold the button down… for 30 seconds or so then let it cool down.”

Drinking water straight from the tap is no longer possible in several NSW regions after flooding contaminated supplies.

Western Sydney University water scientist Dr Ian Wright told Yahoo News Australia he’s never seen so many boil water alerts in NSW.

The health risks of contaminated water

In many small towns in Australia, councils are responsible for managing the upkeep of water and sewerage systems and combatting the impact of flooding can sometimes be beyond their ability.

“If you don’t travel much and you’re from a big city in Australia, drinking water straight from a tap is probably something you take for granted,” Dr Wright said. “But as soon as you go into a regional location, overseas, or to a developing country, we suddenly become aware of water problems.”

2022/23: Moama (NSW). Dirty Water