A report on risks to the safety of our water supplies has raised the alarm.
The National Water Commission urges governments to overhaul the arrangements for safeguarding urban water quality because the existing systems for doing so are coming under strain.
It warns there are ’emerging contaminants’ from alternative supply options like “sewer mining” – where wastewater is treated then used in irrigation; water recycling stormwater harvesting and reuse of household wastewater from baths and laundry.
PricewaterhouseCoopers did the report for the Commission.
Cases of cross-contamination with drinking water have happened already.
There are outward signs that the broader regulation of urban water quality in Australia is not equivalent to best practice.
Treatment systems are increasingly complex and private investors are being given third-party access to public water infrastructure.
We’ve already seen some of the disasters that can happen with installing pink batts and solar panels when profit becomes the primary motivation!
New chemical and biological contaminants are “continually materialising” as our scientific understanding and capability grows.
The good news is that our water quality standards are high.