Central Coast Council clears Terrigal Reservoir of bacteria following ‘potential contamination’

The Central Coast Council has rescinded a warning to residents in some of its most affluent suburbs, having earlier told them to boil water because it might contain harmful bacteria.

Residents at Terrigal are being urged to boil their water. Picture: Google Maps

The Central Coast Council has rescinded a warning to residents in some of its most affluent suburbs, having earlier told them to boil water because it might contain harmful bacteria found at the Terrigal Reservoir.

The announcement follows several ratepayers taking to social media to express their displeasure with the council over an alert issued on Tuesday night.

“I found out, purely by chance that I should not have consumed a mug full of tap water this morning and that I may have been exposed to E Coli through perhaps contaminated water supply,” one resident wrote.

“We pay you to carry out your functions effectively and efficiently; and in this case you certainly have not done so.”

The council put out an alert on Tuesday, warning residents in the suburbs of Terrigal, North Avoca, Avoca Beach, Picketts Valley, Erina, Erina Heights, Copacabana, MacMasters Beach and Kincumber to boil their water.

In a statement on Tuesday night, the council said water testing had revealed the water supply to those areas has potentially been compromised.

“As a precaution, while further investigations are being undertaken, the boil water alert has been issued,” the council said.

Subsequently, the supply from the Terrigal Reservoir was cut off and did not enter the network.

The council also warned immunocompromised people to be vigilant, saying said tap water was safe for bathing but there was potentially a risk if it was swallowed.

However, those warnings were quickly rescinded on Wednesday afternoon as the council announced there was no E. coli bacteria present in the water supply and lifted the boil water alert.

“A recent water sample taken by council staff had detected a possible presence of E. coli bacteria,” a statement read.

“Since community safety is always a priority, council, in consultation with NSW Health, issued a precautionary boil water alert to the affected areas,” it said.

Central Coast Council chief executive David Farmer said he was relieved and pleased to be able to now advise an independent NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities)-accredited laboratory had confirmed no presence of E.coli.   

“Council took the precautionary approach of issuing the boil water alert while we were waiting for the definitive test results and completing a thorough investigation of the water supply system,” Mr Farmer said.

Originally published as Central Coast Council clears Terrigal Reservoir of bacteria following ‘potential contamination’