SA Water planning to cut scientists amid memo on commercial considerations, raising safety fears
SA Water is planning to cut scientists monitoring drinking water quality, triggering concerns from experts over safety.
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SA Water is planning to cut scientists monitoring drinking water quality as the hot weather hits, triggering concerns from experts over safety.
The monopoly water supplier told staff in a memo the change was being driven because it is a “commercial business operating in a highly competitive marketspace”.
However, the scientists say a “perfect storm” for water contamination and pathogens is brewing with the job cuts coming as the Government opens reservoirs to public recreation in summer.
SA Water documents show a planned loss of six jobs in the small workforce which ensures the safety of drinking water at SA Water’s Australian Water Quality Centre (AWQC). However these may be replaced by five new, different positions.
The period for consultation ended on November 9.
Sarah Andrews, SA director of Professionals Australia representing the scientists, said SA Water was putting competitiveness above safety – a claim strongly rejected by SA Water.
Ms Andrews said there had been detections of Cryptosporidium oocysts – a parasite which causes gastro and respiratory infections – in the water that that feeds metropolitan Adelaide.
“I cannot think of a section of the public service more important to health and safety than the people who make sure our drinking water is safe,” she said.
“SA Water are placing the public at risk and endangering the health of the community.”
International expert on Cryptosporidium, Professor Una Ryan, based at Murdoch University, said testing for the parasite was a highly skilled procedure.
“The AWQC laboratories are nationally recognised for their skills and expertise in this area,” she said.
“This is essential so water and wastewater services provided to South Australians are safe and fit for purpose.”
He said the proposed restructure would halve the capacity for testing.
An SA Water spokesman said AWQC ran as a commercial business and was forced to restructure due to the loss of a commercial interstate contract.
He said the proposed restructure, which had been put to consultation, would result in the total loss of 1.1 full-time positions and rejected claims services would suffer.
“Any potential change will have zero impact on water quality testing for SA Water or any of AWQC’s other customers, and any suggestion to that effect is completely incorrect and misinformed,” he said.
Water Minister David Speirs described the changes as “minor” and said no decisions had been made.
He said SA Water had assured him water quality and service standards would not be “jeopardised under any circumstances”.