PFAS Testing gives Gunnedah water tick of approval

20 December 2024

Gunnedah Shire Council has received the results from recent PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) testing in the local drinking water supply, offering assurances to residents that there is no cause for concern.

Council provides safe and reliable drinking water to properties located in the service areas of Gunnedah, Curlewis, Mullaley, and Tambar Springs. Curlewis is supplied by Gunnedah Water Supply system.

Our drinking water is regularly tested and analysed by independent NATA accredited laboratories to comply with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) 2011. Council closely works with NSW Health to make sure Council supplied water is safe to drink.

Council has developed a Drinking Water Management System with the assistance from NSW Health to comply with NSW Guidelines for drinking water management systems.

Gunnedah Shire Council participated in the NSW Health arranged PFAS screening for its water supply systems. Under the program, water samples were collected from Gunnedah, Mullaley and Tambar Springs water supply systems on 10 December 2024.

PFAS chemicals - or per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances - are synthetic chemicals found in many everyday products. They have been widely used in many industrial and consumer applications as they are effective at resisting heat, stains, grease, and water. The guideline values show the amount of PFAS in drinking water that a person can consume on a daily basis over a lifetime without any appreciable risk to health.

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHRMC) has stated that drinking water supplies that comply with the current Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) are safe to drink.

The proposed drinking water guideline values are a draft and will not be considered final until they are published by the NHRMC, which is anticipated for April 2025. The existing PFAS guideline values remain current until the updated values are finalised and published.