Safe drinking water finally available for remote NT community of Laramba
Residents of Laramba will finally have access to safe drinking water thanks to the opening of a new water treatment plant. Read how it will change things here.
Northern Territory
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The installation of a multimillion-dollar water treatment plant in Laramba will finally provide the town with safe drinking water, after years of legal stoushes over the uranium content in the areas tap water.
About 200km from Alice Springs, the uranium content in Laramba’s drinking water has historically been as high as 0.055 milligrams per litre, almost three times as high as the Australian Drinking Water Guideline (ADWG) level for uranium at 0.02 milligrams per litre.
Laramba residents previously took legal action against the Department of Housing over the uranium content in the towns drinking water.
They argued the department had a duty to ensure safe drinking water for the community, but lost the case in the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal, with a later review of the decision upholding the original finding.
Last year, the government announced funding for a new water treatment plant for the town to address the situation, with the official opening taking place on Wednesday.
The plant uses ion-exchange technology to treat drinking water and has a capacity of 360 kilolitres per day, and has reduced the uranium content of treated water to less than 0.001 mg per litre.
The $6.8 million project was funded through the Territory Labor Government’s $28 million commitment to addressing critical water supply infrastructure needs in remote Aboriginal communities.
Essential Services Minister Selena Uibo cut the ceremonial ribbon at the opening, stating access to reliable drinking water in remote communities was a priority of the government.
“Power and Water Corporation operate across 1.3 million square kilometres in some of the most challenging and diverse conditions in Australia and I congratulate them upon the completion of this project,” she said.
“It’s exciting to be in Laramba to officially open the water treatment plant, which will benefit the local community for many years to come.”
The Central Land Council posted that the arrival of the treatment plant was a “well-deserved happy end” to the communities long fight for safe drinking water.
It said Laramba community leader Ron Hagan had reported to the council that the tap water was now not only safe, but tasted even better.
“Gone are the days when he and his neighbours had to fork out lots of money for boxed and bottled drinking water,” it said.
Gwoja MLA Chansey Paech said the government was now working to improve water quality in other nearby communities.
“This project provides a treatment solution for high levels of naturally occurring uranium in the groundwater that supplies the Laramba community,” he said.
“We are also furthering work to improve water quality in neighbouring communities, including Yuelamu and Yuendumu.”
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