Melrose Park residents to be banned from using toxic groundwater

Residents of an inner southern suburb will be been banned from using groundwater after toxic chemicals were found.

Residents in parts of Melrose Park will be banned from using groundwater after testing found contamination in the aquifer, including the cancer-linked chemical PFAS and chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Environmental Protection Authority acting manager site contamination Melinda Morris wrote a letter to effected residents telling them “action is needed to prevent actual or potential harm to human health or safety as a result of the taking of that water’’.

In March 2021, the EPA asked residents not to use the groundwater pending further tests in an area of Melrose Park bounded by South Rd, Daws Rd, Jose St, Crozier Ave, Stephen St and Marion St. It covers 271 “certificates of title’’, of which are quarter are residential properties.

The EPA said the proposed groundwater prohibited area would ban the taking of bore water from aquifers 49m below ground level. It said there were five registered bores within the area, with two registered for domestic use, and also an unknown number of unregistered bores.

“Rainwater and mains water (tap water) are not affected by the groundwater contamination and can be used,’’ Ms Morris said.

Within a 9-page assessment of the recommendation, the EPA says a “key source’’ of the PFAS detected in the groundwater was the St Mary’s Fire Station. For decades PFAS was a chemical used in firefighting foam.

“Investigations are ongoing in relation to the nature and extent of PFAS contamination in the vicinity of this property,’’ the EPA writes.

It also says further investigations are being carried out on whether PFAS contamination has carried beyond the boundary of the proposed prohibition area.

The chlorinated hydrocarbons have linked to past industrial use of the area “including (but not limited to) metal coating, finishing or spray painting, dry cleaning, glass and plastic manufacturing and printing works’’.

The EPA will consult with the community on the proposal until November 20.

Mitcham Mayor Heather Holmes-Ross said residents “should not panic’’ about the EPA process and said they should continue to use non-bore water as normal.

“Don’t kill your veggie gardens,’’ Ms Holmes-Ross said.