South Burnett Regional Council issues bacteria alert in town water

Bacteria in the town water at Kingaroy is making the water cloudy and foul smelling, and multiple residents have been urged to boil the town water before drinking it or using it to cook with.

10 Kingaroy streets must boil their properties' water before use, until further notice, after a presence of bacteria was found during a South Burnett Regional Council’s systematic check.

The residents of ten Kingaroy streets were issued a “boil water alert” after the discovery of a low level presence of bacteria in the water, following a systematic water verification process by South Burnett Regional Council.

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The affected addresses are Diamond Court, Lorikeet Close, Cockatoo Court, Rosella Parade, Peregrine Drive, Premier Drive, Kingfisher Way, Acreage Ave, Curtis Road and Taylors Road.

The bacteria was tested in the vicinity of Summit View and Taylors Road Kingaroy in the reticulation network of its high level zone and the alert issued on Friday afternoon.

A South Burnett Regional spokesman said special care was advisable.

“These include people with severely compromised immune systems, individuals receiving dialysis treatment and aged individuals,” they said.

“Children should take bottled or cooled boiled water to school or childcare.

The bacteria was tested in the vicinity of Summit View and Taylors Road, Kingaroy.

“Disinfection processes are currently being undertaken and water turnover protocols as per Council’s Drinking Water Management Plan,” he said.

The boil water notice will stay in effect while the council works with Queensland Health to resolve the situation and become confident there is no risk to public health.

The boil water notice ordered residents to use either boiled or bottled water for drinking, cooking, washing or preparing food, coffee machines, ice, brushing teeth, bathing babies and toddlers and all other portable water uses.

Residents are reeling over the boiling water alert and have shared to social media that they rely on tank water for a majority of their use.

“It‘s terrible, everything in the dishwasher stinks and glasses are cloudy,” one resident commented.

“This is why I use a tank,” he said.

“Thank god I have my tank,” said another Kingaroy resident.

The council apologised for the inconvenience caused to residents and thanked them for their patience.

South Burnett Regional Council has advised that the Boiled Water Notice for Summit View Estate and Taylors Road remains in place, but all other areas of the Kingaroy water supply scheme are clear.

“The Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water and Queensland Health, will not lift the boiled water notice until a minimum of two cleared samples across two days are clear of any microbial contamination,” said the South Burnett Regional Council spokesperson.

“The council will continue to conduct verification monitoring with an excess of 50 water samples a week across all drinking water supply schemes.”