A new report from Icon Water has found that Canberra’s drinking water is as healthy as ever despite concerns earlier this year that bushfires may have impacted the water supply.
General Manager at Icon Water, Gerard Brierley said the report, 2019-20 Drinking Water Quality Report, confirmed that Canberra’s drinking water was 100 per cent compliant with the ACT’s Public Health (Drinking Water) Code of Practice 2007.
“Over the last 12 months, Canberrans have been faced with smoke, hail, bushfires, drought and COVID-19,” Mr Brierley said.
“Throughout every crisis the community has tackled, many have turned their attention to the potential effect on the ACT’s drinking water supply,” he said.
“[The Report] explains in detail the rigorous water quality management framework in place along with the water utility’s multi-barrier approach to protecting the ACT’s water supply and public health.”
Mr Brierley said Icon Water’s multi-barrier approach to ensuring water quality started from where the water was sourced.
“Our ability to draw water from different levels within the dams to select the highest quality raw water for treatment also provides an additional level of quality control,” he said.
“This operational flexibility offers a level of protection should part of the ACT’s water network be impacted by bushfire or concerns relating to the raw water supply.”
He said water was treated at either the Stromlo or Googong Water treatment plant where the process could be customised to address and treat any changes in raw water quality.
Mr Brierley said Icon Water had a comprehensive water quality monitoring program in place which included testing at reservoirs, treatment plants and across the distribution network, as well as directly from customers’ taps.
Icon Water’s 84-page report can be accessed at this PS News link.
