Heath Harrison tips bucket on Nanango town water nightmare

Families in the South Burnett are spending thousands of dollars on bottled water so they don’t have to drink or cook using town water, which they say is brown, soapy, stinky and corrosive. But the council insists everything is fine.

A young family faced a distressing situation after moving into a Nanango property where the town water had eroded the five-year-old pipes, resulting in costly and unsettling problems.

A family of six has spent thousands of dollars and dealt with distress and anxiety after moving into a Nanango home where where the town water has eroded the five-year-old pipes.

It has cost the Harrison family thousands of dollars to replace pipes corroded by the water families are expected to drink and wash in.

“The water is that toxic it eats out the copper in the pipes,” said 44-year-old Nanango father Heath Harrison.

“The shower has already gone green after a few months of replacing the head,” he said.

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Mr Harrison had to upgrade to a new gas hot water system at a cost of more than $2000.

“My plumber told me it was destroyed by the council’s water supply,” he said.

Kingaroy Plumbing Works owner Tony Kruger said if the region failed to get much rain, the water became hard and could erode the pipes.

“Copper pipes are more susceptible to corrosion,” Mr Kruger said.

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The Harrison family, like many other South Burnett residents spends about $3000 a year on bottled water.

Mr Harrison said his family used bottled water for everything other than showering.

Multiple Nanango residents have taken to social media explaining that they never drink the town water.

“The town water has a soapy residue, smells funny and has an unpleasant taste,” he said.

“My wife buys the flavoured coffee that is meant to dissolve in the water. When using the town water it floats on the top...what does that say about the water?” he said.

Mrs Harrison said she noticed a huge change in the quality of her hair since showering in the town water for two years.

A South Burnett Regional Council spokesman said the council was unaware of the water being undrinkable as it met Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

“Taste is an aesthetic aspect and is an individual’s perspective as to like or dislike something,” a spokesman said.

“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,” he said.

Multiple residents have taken to social media explaining how they never drink the town water.

Nanango resident Shantelle Sherrington said she drinks only rain water from a tank.

“I literally vomit if I drink town water,” Ms Sherrington said.

Wondai resident Cliff Carey said he could only tolerate the Wondai town water if he mixed it with cordial.

“The water is terrible on its own, the council should come to Wondai and try the water,” Mr Carey said.

Nanango resident Debra Lyford said her horses would not even drink it.

A council spokesman said the water had always been drinkable and was regularly tested and met Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

Originally published as Heath Harrison tips bucket on Nanango town water nightmare