NSW Government to upgrade Blue Mountains water supply to prevent PFAS
A new filtration system will be rolled out in the Blue Mountains, after elevated PFAS levels were detected in recent months.
Environment
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A new filtration system will be rolled out in the Blue Mountains in an effort to combat PFAS levels in the drinking water supply, after elevated levels were detected in recent months.
The NSW Government will be installing an advanced PFAS treatment system at the Cascade Water Filtration Plant (WFP) designed to reduce levels of PFAS in the drinking water.
The upgrade will include a mobile treatment system that uses Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) and ion exchange resin to filtrate the water and is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2024.
The upgrade is estimated to cost $3.5 million, according to the ABC.
PFAS was detected in the water supply as early as July this year, and WaterNSW shut down Medlow Dam and Greaves Creek, which supply the plant on the outskirts of Sydney as a result.
The latest testing from October detected both small dams still have PFAS levels above the current national guidelines.
NSW Water minister Rose Jackson said early treatment results will be available in early 2025.
“It is important that communities are confident in the knowledge that they have access to safe and secure water, and this new technology will help us in those efforts,” Ms Jackson said.
“We will continue to support our water authorities across the state to deliver the highest quality drinking water to every home and business.
“All drinking water that meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines remains safe to drink.”
Water NSW is working quickly to prepare for the likelihood PFAS limits will be reduced in 2025, as indicated in proposed in the draft Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG).
The new national guidelines are set to be finalised in April 2025.
Sydney Water Managing Director Roch Cheroux said the upgrade to the Blue Mountains water supply will prove a vital step forward in ensuring safe drinking water remains available.
“This initiative reinforces Sydney Water’s promise to deliver safe, clean, and reliable water to all our customers,” Mr Cheroux said.
“While PFAS treatment is still an evolving field, we are leading the way with new ideas, such as this one, to ensure the continued delivery of world-class drinking water across the Sydney Water network.
“GAC effectively adsorbs contaminants through its porous structure, while ion exchange resin swaps unwanted ions, such as PFAS, with safer ions, to significantly improve drinking water quality.”
Sydney Water confirmed Cascade WFP which remain within current guidelines for PFAS limits.
Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle said the new treatment system will be a welcome addition to her community.
“I welcome this new treatment system and am heartened to know that a whole-of-Government agency approach is focused on stringent testing and safeguarding delivery of safe water to the Blue Mountains,” she said.
Originally published as NSW Government to upgrade Blue Mountains water supply to prevent PFAS
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