MP Deb Frecklington vows to raise South Burnett drinking water issue

South Burnett residents have expressed outrage at the ongoing state of the regions drinking water. One resident has questions for council, including asking if they would bath a newborn in the discoloured water.

The state of South Burnett's drinking water has infuriated local residents.

Residents across the South Burnett have expressed outrage at the ongoing state of their towns’ drinking water with MP Deb Frecklington announcing she will be raising the issue with the South Burnett Regional Council.

On Tuesday and Wednesday locals posted photos on Facebook of discoloured water coming from their taps, others have told of corroded pipes and skin peeling off their hands after using the water.

Nanango resident Bev Gardner shared a photo of her dirty water filter after seven weeks in use.

“I know people are constantly complaining about the water in this town but this is ridiculous. This is considered drinkable,” she said.

Resident Nicole Crawford shared photos of her water over a three-day period which appeared to be a brown colour.

She said she feels sorry for the children who have to bathe in it.

Resident Nicole Crawford shared photos of her water over a three-day period which appeared to be a brown colour.

Alison Shields said when she lived in Murgon the skin on her fingertips would peel.

“The water felt so harsh that I had a bottle of moisturiser next to every tap and literally had to moisturise every time my hands got wet,” she said.

The drinking water issue often pops up on Facebook with residents sharing their own stories.

Earlier in the year Councillor Jane Erkens responded by admitting the water doesn’t taste great but explained the taste comes from the high minerals in the South Burnett water.

She said to fix the issue a new pipeline and treatment plant would be needed.

“We have no funds for that at the moment and it would cost millions.

“Water is tested regularly to ensure it is safe,” she said.

Nanango resident Bev Gardner shared a photo of her water filter after only seven days in use.

Memerambi resident Mick Scott often stays in Kingaroy to help his daughter out with her kids and has kept a record of all the times the water has come out discoloured.

He said he has recorded 96 different times the water had come out discoloured since the beginning of 2023.

He questioned the procedures being followed to ensure the water is safe.

“I spent three and a half years working in the gas fields throughout the Surat Basin.

“We had teams that were treating the most disgusting water to drinking standards.

“The stuff landing in the bathtubs here in Kingaroy would never pass testing procedures,” Mr Scott said.

In May of this year a South Burnett Council spokesperson said the council was unaware of the water being undrinkable as it met Australian drinking water guidelines.

“South Burnett water comes from several surface water storage dams and sometimes bores, and is treated by standard treatment process of coagulation, filtration and disinfection,” the spokesperson said.

Mick Scott stays in Kingaroy to help his daughter out with her children and has recorded a total of 96 times where the water has come out discoloured in 2023 alone.

Mr Scott said he has three questions he wants to ask council:

“Would they be prepared to drink the Kingaroy water?

“Would they be prepared to use that discoloured water in their cooking?

“Would the members of the South Burnett Regional Council be prepared to bathe a newborn baby in that disgusting water?”

Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington said on Thursday she will be raising the issue with the South Burnett Regional Council.

“I will certainly raise this issue with council as it is important to have a water supply that residents can rely on,” she said.