Question On Notice No. 487 asked in the Legislative Council on 15 February 2022 by Hon Dr Steve Thomas
Question Directed to the: Minister for Regional Development representing the Minister for Water
Parliament: 41 Session: 1
Question
I refer to water provided by the Water Corporation via a pipeline to Dangin, east of York, and I ask:
(a) has the Water Corporation told residents in that area that the water provided is no longer potable;
(b) when was the water deemed not potable and why;
(c) what alternative supply options were offered to residents that were using the supply for potable water;
(d) how do the cost of these alternatives compare to the original cost of supply;
(e) will residents who disconnect from the pipeline supply continue to be charged a service fee; and
(f) if yes to (e), why?
Answered on 16 March 2022
(a) Customers have been advised that they must further treat their water before using it for potable purposes. This is different to being supplied with non-potable water, which can never be treated by the customer to a potable standard.
(b) In 2020, Water Corporation began a review of the scheme and identified a number of properties in Dangin that required a Non-Standard Service Agreement.
Water supplied to Dangin properties comes via Cunderdin, which is its last disinfection (chlorination) point, and monitoring point, before it is conveyed to Dangin. When the water leaves Cunderdin, it is well within the Australian Drinking Water Standards, but due to the distance it is conveyed, adequate chlorine residuals cannot be guaranteed in Dangin.
As such, Water Corporation needs to provide customers with an agreement for a non-standard water quality condition – ‘water requires further treatment’.
(c) – (d) Water Corporation has offered financial assistance for the purchase and installation of water treatment solutions. The cost of these solutions will vary.
(e) No.
(f) Not applicable.