Water quality

Council does not currently add fluoride to our water, as the naturally occurring fluoride is close to the recommended dosage for improved dental health.

NSW Health promotes the use of water fluoridation to prevent dental decay, indicating it is a safe, effective way of providing benefits to individuals of all ages in the community. It says that extensive research supports water fluoridation as an effective measure in preventing and reducing tooth decay.

More information on the fluoridation of water can be found at NSW Health.

Council resolved to undertake short-term measures aimed at reducing the impact and incidence of coloured water.

Short term improvement measures include

• routine and on-call hydrant flushing when customers report coloured water
• installation of domestic filter units with replaceable cartridge filters in the worst affected areas, with four (4) washable filter cartridges supplied.

Systems were initially tested over a number of months, with property owners being happy with the results.

Units are installed at Council’s cost on the property side of the meter by either Council staff or a contractor. Once installed, the units become the responsibility of the property owner, including any repairs, ongoing maintenance and replacement when necessary. 

Formal consent is required as the proposed installation of the domestic filter units requires access and works on private property and also for property owners to acknowledge that maintenance and replacement cartridge filters are their responsibility.

Each filter cartridge should last for around six months and require cleaning every four to six weeks. Maintenance instructions are provided at the time of installation of the units.

Although the filters reduce discolouration of water entering the property, older properties with cast iron water pipes may still experience discoloured water at times.

To enquire about a filtration unit please see details at the bottom of the page to contact the Water Sewer team.

Chlorine is common in most treated water supplies and is used to ensure drinking water does not cause health problems. Tap water should have a faint chlorine taste/odour. This is to ensure the safety of the water all the way to the customer.

What to do?

Contact council if you are experiencing abnormally high levels of chlorine taste or odour.

Over time, organic matter (such as hair, soap, and food waste) can accumulate on the walls of the drain and bacteria can grow on these organic deposits. The bacteria can produce a gas which is disturbed when water is used.

Sulphur compounds in the water supply.

What to do?

Clean and/or flush the drain. If the problem persists, contact council.

Certain types of harmless algae, fungi, and bacteria growing in the water supply, especially during warm weather.

What to do?

You can fit a carbon treatment device to your tap if you wish to remove this type of smell from your water.

Contact council if the problem persists or is a regular occurrence.

Naturally occurring iron and manganese is not harmful to health.

What to do?

If the water is visibly discoloured, flush taps until water runs clear.

Contact council if the problem persists or is a regular occurrence.

Air bubbles in water caused by a sudden change in water flow or direction in the pipes. Not harmful to health.

What to do?

Leave sit for two-three minutes and they should disappear. Contact council if the problem persists or is a regular occurrence.

Sediment (iron, manganese) in the pipe or water main can be stirred up when there is a sudden increase or change in direction of water in the pipes. Not harmful to health.

What to do?

Council flushes mains after repairs, however dirty water may still be present in some instances.

Residents should

a. flush taps until water runs clear

b. avoid doing laundry as the water may stain clothes. see Discoloured water - how to clean stained clothes

Contact council if the problem persists. 

Staining of laundry by discoloured water is due to particles of sediment lodged in the fabric. The stain usually only becomes permanent if laundry is allowed to dry. It is therefore important to keep stained laundry immersed in water and call Council for a Cleaning Kit. Do not use bleaching agents as they set the stain and make it worse.

The staining is caused by iron and manganese and is best removed by an acid-based cleaning agent. Several commercial rust removers work quite well and can be purchased in local supermarkets and hardware stores. Citric Acid, which can be found in supermarket baking sections, also works. Follow the instructions provided and always check for colourfastness before use.