Residents in parts of seven northern suburbs told not to use groundwater because it’s toxic

About 4000 homes and businesses in Adelaide’s north have been warned to not use bore water after toxic chemicals were found.

Residents in parts of seven suburbs in Adelaide’s north are being warned not to drink, shower or water lawns with bore water from the area after it was found to be contaminated with dangerous toxins.

The Environment Protection Authority is seeking to establish a Groundwater Prohibition Area over parts of Edinburgh, Direk, Burton, Salisbury North, Penfield, Paralowie and Waterloo Corner to protect locals from groundwater contaminated with PFAS.

About 4000 residential, commercial and other properties are in the mooted prohibition area.

The move would mean those in the proposed zone would face fines of up to $8000 if they extracted bore water from bores to a depth of 60 metres.

It came after the Defence Department, in its investigations into PFAS contamination on and around the Edinburgh RAAF base, discovered groundwater in shallow aquifers in the area had been contaminated with the chemicals.

As such, the EPA is urging residents in the area to not use water from bores to a depth of 60 metres for any purpose.

EPA acting director of regulation Andrew Pruszinski said PFAS was a potential health risk if people used bore water of a long period of time.

“This means using bore water for drinking, showering, washing, filling swimming pools or watering lawns, or fruit and vegetables for consumption, is considered a health risk,” he said.

Mr Pruszinski said not all properties with bores were registered or known, so the proposed prohibition area covered locations of known contamination.

He said the EPA was now undertaking consultation in relation to the proposed prohibition area.

The EPA says groundwater from bores in deeper tertiary aquifers, such as those used by schools and councils, is not known to be affected.

It stresses that soil, mains water and rainwater are not affected and homegrown vegetables are safe to eat as long as they have not been watered from bores to a depth of 60 metres.

The defence department launched an inquiry into PFAS contamination at the RAAF base in June 2016 and found varying levels of contamination both on the base and on private properties around the site.

PFAS, a chemical that does not break down in the environment and has been linked to cancer in people and animals, was used in firefighting foams at the base until 2004.

Subject to any new Covid-19 restrictions, a community information session on the proposed prohibition area will be held at the John McVeity Centre at Smithfield Plains on October 14.

Staff from the EPA, SA Health and the defence department will be available to answer questions.

Registrations are essential.

The community consultation period will end on November 16.

For more information call 8204 2004, email [e-mail] or visit www.engage.epa.sa.gov.au.