Bush excused on rules for water

Rural townships and remote Indigenous communities have been exempted from new government guidelines to guarantee pure drinking water.

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has concluded that testing for contamination could cost too much in some remote areas.

'For small supplies, it may not be economically feasible or practical to carry out all the recommendations of the . . . guidelines,' the 1126 page document states. 'One of the major difficulties for small communities, particularly those in remote areas, is the implementation of regular monitoring programs, both in terms of cost and the practicalities of transporting samples to testing laboratories.'

The NHMRC document says authorities responsible for 'small water supplies' - those serving fewer than 1000 people - should follow the national guidelines 'as far as possible'.

Contacts

NHMRC
Ph: (02) 6217 9000
Ph: 13 000 NHMRC (13 000 64672)
Fax: (02) 6217 9100
Email: nhmrc@nhmrc.gov.au

Links

• View resource: Publication - Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (2011)
• View news item: The Australian - Bush excused on rules for water
• View media release: NHMRC - Safer drinking water for all Australians