More Fleurieu Peninsula towns complain about health effects caused by chloramine in mains water

A chemical added to mains water delivered to Victor Harbor and other Fleurieu Peninsula towns is making people sick and killing fish, residents say.

Victor Harbor residents are complaining of multiple health problems as a result of chloramine being added to their water supply from Myponga Reservoir.

And while they’re suffering headaches, itchy skin and sleeping problems, they say it’s even worse for pet fish going belly up in their tanks and ponds.

Yankalilla, Normanville and Carrickalinga residents told of similar problems last year, including rashes and diarrhoea, from drinking and bathing in mains water when SA Water starting disinfecting supply to 3000 households with chloramine.

Famed international environmental crusader Erin Brockovich then threw her support behind residents, describing use of chloramine – created by adding ammonia to chlorine – as “a critical mistake”.

In December, use of chloramine was extended to another 25,000 homes in Victor Harbor, Encounter Bay, McCracken, Chiton, Port Elliot, Middleton, Goolwa, Hindmarsh Island, Sellicks Beach and parts of Aldinga Beach.

Encounter Bay resident John Stankovich won’t drink the water from his tap. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

John Stankovich of Encounter Bay said problems started almost immediately.

“Within a week my back started itching and I was so desperate I went out and bought a back scratcher,” he said. “Then it worked its way up to my shoulders, my neck and under my chin. It was just so annoying.”

Mr Stankovich said several neighbours had water filters installed at considerable expense to avoid health effects and he felt SA Water should subsidise the cost.

He said his symptoms settled when he switched to drinking bottled.

Other locals posting on a Victor Harbor community Facebook page say they are still suffering a range of health effects and their fish have died.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ON FACEBOOK

Judy: I’m in Goolwa and I have to rinse my hair in bottled water or I tear my skin to pieces. We are giving our little dog spring water to drink too. Not risking his health.

 

Steph: I have been unwell myself, lost fish and my cat and dog have been sick, plus garden not looking the best

 

Emma: My parrot almost died, put him on spring water and he came back to life … SA Water this is not OK, something needs to be done

 

Laura: It’s not an improvement when it burns you or puts you into respiratory distress. Now having to buy boxed water and take less showers than I like.

 

Jen: I broke out in hives after my shower and was itching all over.

 

Cathy: Now I cannot shower long and have to use baby wipes to stop the burning and itching after. Have never had to previously in my life before.

 

Samara: Would’ve been nice to know before all my fish died and my kid had to learn that pets die.

 

Sue: Well it’s given me really bad stomach cramps, I can’t drink it and after showering I’m itchy for ages. Have lived in the area since before chloramine and never had these issues with the water so to me they’re poisoning us and many aquatic animals.

 

Alison: Since the chloramine was introduced, I have developed a chronic cough and many others in our community are having health problems.

 

Rhonda: I’ve lost all my goldfish

 

Lesley: This change has made my skin itchy, & my eyes stinging! Not happy!

 

Robyn: I am now one big itchy person, from this change in our water. Rash is all through my hair and over my body. VERY itchy, then it turns dry & scaly & I have not bothered buying water before for drinking, but there is NO WAY, I’m drinking it.

 

Karen: Well it’s killed all my aquarium fish overnight! So my question is if it kills perfectly healthy fish what is it doing to me as a water drinker?

 

Karen: I topped up (the tank) and used tap water conditioner, which I now know is useless. I purchased a new one called Prime as recommended by the aquarium store and added it to the tank as per guidelines on the bottle and the fish I bought at the same time – basic livebearers, platys and lollies plus two algae eaters – are now dropping like flies. Fortunately my pleco and bristlenose catfish seem to be perfectly healthy.

 

Helen: My husband got a severe rash on his arms and a stye in the eye all at the same time

 

Samara: I lost six fish yesterday. They were giving away free tap water conditioner today but the thing they weren’t telling you is you actually need to double or even triple the dose in certain brands

 

Josephine: I have only topped up twice with a small amount with the hose so was surprised that such a small amount affected the fish .....must be potent

Fish and other aquatic pets are sensitive to both chlorine and chloramine, so tap water has to have additives before being used to fill tanks, ponds and aquariums.

David de Brequet of Victor Harbor said he believed the concentration of chloramine was too high because all of his fish were dying even after he increased the amount of “the most advanced water conditioner available” to five times the recommended dose.

“I saved them by doing a full water change with rain tank water, but I was lucky to have this available,” he said. “Meanwhile, we are drinking water that kills fish.”

SA Water confirmed it has “provided one-off service gestures to a small number of local customers on a case-by-case basis, to support them with any impacts to their fish”.

Independent candidate for Finniss Lou Nicholson asked whether chloramine was now preferred because public access to the reservoir had stirred up sediment and organic matter.

SA Water senior manager of water expertise and research Dr Daniel Hoefel confirmed the switch to chloramine was to “safely manage” chemicals called trihalomethanes, which build up when chlorine reacts with leaves, soil and sediment. Both he Environment Minister David Speirs said the move was not related to public reservoir access.

Trihalomethanes have been linked to cancer and reproductive health issues.

Dr Hoefel said chloramine was commonly used interstate and overseas and had been used in parts of regional SA for decades including Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Whyalla, Keith, Yorke Peninsula, southern Adelaide Hills, Tailem Bend, Strathalbyn and Keith.