Damage control after fluoride blunder hits homes

THOUSANDS of households had to wait almost a fortnight to be told they had drunk water containing 20 times the allowable limit of fluoride.

THOUSANDS of households had to wait almost a fortnight to be told they had drunk water containing 20 times the allowable limit of fluoride.

The Bligh Government was in damage control last night, after admitting 300,000 litres of contaminated water were pumped into up to 4000 Brisbane homes in the northern suburbs of Brendale and Warner for three hours on May 1.

The blunder went undiscovered for 12 days after a shutdown at the North Pine Dam treatment plant meant a routine daily test on April 29 was not processed until this week.

Tell us: Have authorities informed you that your home was one of those affected by the fluoride overdose?

Queensland Health has insisted the risk of illness was "extremely remote" but the public relations disaster comes after promises fluoride was completely safe when the initiative began last year.

The investigation will also focus on why at least three safety devices failed at the plant, supplying homes in Brendale and Warner with 30mg/L of fluoride, when the limit is 1.5mg/L.

Premier Anna Bligh yesterday said the turnaround time for the test was unavoidable due to the shutdown, but admitted concern over the overdose.

"This is unacceptable and I, like other Queenslanders, have questions about it, and I'm not happy," she said.

"We're unaware of any precedent in any other fluoride treatment plant."

But Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek, a pro-fluoride dentist, said the two-week test delay was too long.

"Some people didn't want this, but they told us the processes would be safe," he said.

The bungle occurred when fluoride continued to mix into water when the treatment plant was shut down for routine maintenance late last month.

When the plant resumed operations on May 1, the overdosed water discharged into household supplies between 9am and noon.

SEQWater normally receives the results on the same day but The Courier-Mail understands the bulk supplier failed to test the water before its release after the shutdown.

It is understood the failure meant plant operator LinkWater tested the water further down the line, with its testing taking 12 days instead of SEQWater's normal same-day result.

LinkWater received the test results back on Tuesday.

SEQ Water was told on Wednesday before the Premier was told later that night.

Queensland Health chief health officer Jeannette Young yesterday said there had been no complaints of gastroenteritis, which would have produced diarrhoea and vomiting within 24 hours.

Letters had not been received by households last night and angry residents were contacting The Courier-Mail about the lack of information.

Fluoride My Choice campaigner Selwyn Johnston last night proposed a class action.

"I'd be bloody outraged if it was me," he said.

The plant has been switched off since the findings.