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Report of the
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Environment
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Report of the
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Environment
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| Note: | Presence of bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the most reliable and specific indicator of recent faecal contamination in dinking water. |
| Source: | Sydney Water and Hunter Water Corporations (Quarterly Reports) and NSW Health Drinking Water Monitoring Program (Database). |
Drinking water supplies in NSW are monitored for possible faecal contamination. This monitoring is performed by water utilities with oversight by NSW Health. Escherichia coli (E. coli) or thermotolerant coliforms are monitored as indicators of faecal contamination. Pathogenic microorganisms may enter the water supply as a result of faecal contamination.
The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2004 (the Guidelines) (NHMRC, 2004) state that at least 98% of samples should contain no E. coli or thermotolerant coliforms. The Guidelines also recommend minimum sample numbers for monitoring of water supplies based on the population and complexity of the supply. Water testing results from the Sydney and Hunter Water Corporations indicate that drinking water meets the Guidelines and is of good quality.
The NSW Health Drinking Water Monitoring Program was introduced in October 2000 to assist regional and rural water utilities to apply the Guidelines. Under the Program, free drinking water analysis is available to water utilities through NSW Health laboratories.
The NSW Drinking Water Database stores information and monitoring results for regional and rural water supplies. The Database has been operational since 1 January 2001 and results from the NSW Health Drinking Water Monitoring program are entered on a daily basis.
The results from testing in rural and regional water supplies indicate that 97.7% and 98.1% of samples complied with the Guideline value for E. coli in 2004 and 2005 respectively. Compliance with Guideline recommendations for monitoring frequency varies widely throughout the State.
| For more information: |
National Health and Medical Research Council and Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council. Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2004. Canberra: NHMRC, 2004. Available at: www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/eh19syn.htm. NSW Department of Health. Water Quality and Health website at www.health.nsw.gov.au/public-health/ehb/water/drinkwater.html The Sydney Water Corporation website at www.sydneywater.com.au The Hunter Water Corporation website at www.hunterwater.com.au Department of Environment and Conservation. New South Wales State of the Environment 2003. Sydney: Department of Environment and Conservation, 2003. Available at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/SOE/soe2003/index.htm. The next edition of the report is expected at the end of 2006. |
| Print version: | Although this page can be printed directly from your Web browser, a higher quality version of this entire page (graph, table and text) is available as an Acrobat PDF file which can be printed or viewed on screen using free software. |
| Downloadable files: | The data contained in the table on this page are available for download as a CSV file which can be imported into many software packages. The graph is available for download as an EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) file and as an EMF (Enhanced Metafile Format) file. Files in these formats can be imported into most word processing, presentation and graphics software packages. |
| Copyright notice: | This work is copyright NSW Department of Health, 2006. It may be reproduced in whole or in part, subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgement of the source. Commercial usage or sale is prohibited. |
| Suggested citation: | Population Health Division. The health of the people of New South Wales - Report of the Chief Health Officer. Sydney: NSW Department of Health. Available at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/public-health/chorep/env/env_watcoli.htm. Accessed (insert date of access). |
| Produced by: | Centre for Epidemiology and Research, Population Health Division, NSW Department of Health. |
| Last updated on: | 16 October 2006 |
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