Question Without Notice No. 850 asked in the Legislative Council on 9 November 2017 by Hon Aaron Stonehouse
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
WATER SUPPLY — DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITIES
850. Hon AARON STONEHOUSE to the minister representing the Minister for Housing:
I note reports on the ABC's Kimberley service dated 8 November 2017 that Pandanus Park near Broome has had to accept an offer from a charity to step in and provide its residents with safe drinking water, after the community CEO spent 18 months unsuccessfully lobbying the state government over the issue.
(1) In how many communities across WA is the Department of Communities responsible for the provision of water?
(2) Does the government monitor the water quality in each of these communities?
(3) If yes to (2), how often is this monitoring undertaken?
(4) Is it true that the ABC asked to see the latest set of results pertaining to Pandanus Park and that its request was denied?
(5) Will the minister table the last 12 months' worth of test results specific to the Pandanus Park community; and if not, why not?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question.
(1) It is responsible for 136 remote Aboriginal communities.
(2) No, the department monitors and tests the water supply in 82 of these remote communities.
(3) The water is tested monthly for microbiological compliance and six-monthly for chemical composition. When elevated chemical levels are detected—for example, nitrates—the water is tested monthly. Results are monitored by the health department.
(4) No. In the media response to the ABC, the Department of Communities advised the average nitrate level over recent years was 67.5 milligrams per litre, which is within the recommended ''Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (2011)'' and safe for adults and pregnant women. In a subsequent radio interview with the ABC, the Department of Communities also advised the nitrate level in Pandanus for September 2017 was 45 milligrams per litre. Bottled water is provided for bottle-fed infants under the age of three months, consistent with the ADWG. I table for the member's information from the Department of Communities provided to the ABC.
(5) I table the attached information.
[See paper 867.]