For more than a century NSW Health has provided a drinking water testing service to water supply authorities. NSW Health recommends that water suppliers monitor in line with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. NSW Health provides free of charge testing for water supply system monitoring for indicator bacteria and health related inorganic chemicals. This program does not extend to Sydney Water Corporation or Hunter Water Corporation, which have their own laboratory services.
The booklet NSW Health Drinking Water Monitoring Program contains details of the program.
For information on sampling see:
Urgent water samples can be submitted after hours to the laboratories providing testing for the Drinking Water Monitoring Program. Prior to sample submission authorisation must be obtained from the PHU Director or Delegate. An Urgent Water Analysis Request Form for FASS is available for sample submission to NSW Forensic and Analytical Science Service (FASS) (formerly known as DAL) in Lidcombe while other laboratories can be contacted on their after hours contact numbers.
All the data from the sampling undertaken within the Drinking Water Monitoring Program is stored in the Drinking Water Database:
Access to the Drinking Water Database
The Public Health Act 2010 and Public Health Regulation 2022 require drinking water supplies to develop and adhere to a quality assurance program (Drinking Water Management System).
NSW Guidelines for Drinking Water Management Systems is available to assist water supplies in the development of Drinking Water Management Systems.
Also available for assistance are the following 4 examples of Drinking Water Management Systems and the associated risk assessment summaries for different types of water supplies in NSW: