Clermont water update #2 - 4 March 2020

Council is committed to keeping our community informed in relation to water discolouration in Clermont as new information becomes available.

Council is aware that water discolouration continues to be a concern for Clermont residents in some areas. This is likely to continue today (Wednesday 4 March) as we work to eliminate sources of discolouration within the reservoirs and the distribution network.

Council appreciates the patience of these residents as staff continue to attend to calls late Tuesday 3 March and early this morning (Wednesday 4 March).

Senior Council operators are on site and additional technicians are also in attendance/on route to the Clermont Water Treatment Plant.

Additional water samples have been tested at the Clermont Water Treatment Plant and across the network over the past 24 hours and Council can confirm that these samples continue to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and is safe to drink. Additional samples have been taken from across the network this morning (Wednesday 4 March) to ensure we are meeting our health requirements for drinking water quality.

There have been two significant contributors to the discolouration events at Clermont. One being discolouration occurring due to heightened levels of manganese and iron suspended within the water stored at the Theresa Creek Dam reservoir. Recent heavy rain events had elevated the levels of these naturally occurring minerals within the water supply. The other being a need to reduce water levels in the sludge ponds at the Clermont Water Treatment Plant to avoid an overflow which resulted in the water from the sludge pond being mixed with Theresa Creek Dam raw water and thus again elevating iron and manganese levels.

A team of divers are on site today (Wednesday 4 March) to conduct under water investigations in our storage reservoirs and undertake cleaning or other works to remove potential contributors to discoloured water. Water discolouration may continue throughout the day while this work is underway. Council will provide another update later this afternoon (Wednesday 4 March) once more information becomes available.

The Clermont Water Treatment Plant is again producing clean water and we will update the community further today (Wednesday 4 March) as we progress a solution. Action is being taken to provide bulk water from a tanker today (Wednesday 4 March) and further advice will be provided shortly.

If discolouration continues please notify our Customer Service Centre, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 1300 ISAACS (1300 472 227).

Council wishes to thank the public and the Clermont community for their patience.

Gary Stevenson PSM Chief Executive Officer

Published: 4th March 2020