Gladstone council says no elevated PFAS in our water

A Central Queensland council insists its water supply is safe after alarming news reports suggested some supplies in the state contained containments the World Health Organisation deemed likely to cause cancer.

Gladstone Area Water Board file photo

A Central Queensland council says its water supply is safe after alarming news reports suggested several of the state’s supplies contained containments the World Health Organisation deemed likely to cause cancer.

Gladstone Regional Council issued the statement late Tuesday afternoon after Nine newspapers and the Today Show cited a 2011 University of Queensland study sampling 34 locations across the country, comparing against recently released drinking water guideline values from the USA.

“Recent media reports regarding elevated levels of PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) in Gladstone’s potable water supply are inaccurate,” a council spokesperson said.

“The Gladstone region’s drinking water was most recently tested for PFAS in 2018.

“Gladstone Area Water Board (GAWB) tested the Lake Awoonga scheme water supply and Queensland Health’s Wide Bay Public Health Unit, tested the Agnes Water/1770, Miriam Vale and Bororen water schemes.

“PFAS were not detected in any sample.”

According to the Nine Network, tap water in parts of New South Wales, the ACT, Queensland and Victoria were found to contain carcinogenic contaminants.

US authorities found any level of PFOS and PFOA in drinking water was unsafe and likely to cause cancer.

PFOA is permitted in Australian tap water at 140 times the maximum levels allowed by the US.

Analysis from Nine newspapers indicated the chemicals had been found in the drinking water of 1.8 million Australians since 2010.

As a registered service provider supplying drinking water in Queensland, all councils are required to have an approved Drinking Water Quality Management Plan in place approved by Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water (DRDMW).

PFAS have been used in a range of consumer products, such as carpets, clothes and paper, and have also been used in firefighting foams, pesticides and stain repellents.

The use of PFAS in firefighting foams was phased out by the Queensland Government in July, 2019.