Boil Water Alert – Lithgow City Council and Farmers Creek Supply System

Boil Water Alert – Lithgow City Council and Farmers Creek Supply System

7 March, 2022

Recent conditions, including excessive rainfall and highly turbid water in the catchment, have caused problems with water treatment making drinking water in the Farmers Creek supply system unsafe.

 The following suburbs are impacted at this stage:

 South Bowenfels, Bowenfels, Littleton, South Littleton, McKellars Park, Oakey Park, Sheedys Gully, Cobar Park, Morts Estate, Vale of Clwydd and Hermitage Flat

 Customers in these suburbs are advised to boil water prior to use for drinking or food preparation until such time as they are notified that this measure is no longer required.

 NSW Health have provided the following advice:-

 Water used for drinking or food preparation should be brought to a rolling boil to make it safe. Kettles with automatic shut off switches can do this. Water should then be allowed to cool and stored in a clean container with a lid and refrigerated. Bottled water or cool boiled water should be used for drinking, washing uncooked food (e.g. salad vegetables and fruit), making ice, cleaning teeth, gargling and pet’s drinking water. Dishes should be washed in hot soapy water or in a dishwasher.  Children should take bottled water or cool boiled water to school.    If you cannot boil the water, unscented household bleach (containing 4% – 5% available chlorine) may be used. Add 2 drops of bleach to 1 litre of water (or 4 drops if the water is cloudy), mix well, and allow to stand for 30 minutes before use.

 This advice should be followed until further notice. 

 The NSW Health website also includes special considerations for:

 Lithgow City Council is working to fix the problem. While there is no current timeframe for rectification the current weather system has caused issues to the local treatment facility which Council are working to rectify.