PFAS and drinking water
PFAS and drinking water
Recognising the current community interest in PFAS in drinking water, we want to assure our customers that the safety of drinking water we supply across South Australia remains our priority.
Below are some facts on PFAS, as well as information on how we and the broader water and health industries are responding to this emerging contaminant.
What are PFAS?
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, are human-made chemicals that have been widely used in a range of industrial and consumer products since the 1950s.
This includes the manufacture of non-stick cookware, in stain protection for fabrics, furniture and carpet, in food packaging, in water-repellent clothing, cosmetics, sunscreen and predominantly in some types of fire-fighting foams.
There are many types of PFAS. The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (2011) specify limits for PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) and PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonate), and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) in drinking water.
- For PFOS and PFHxS, the current limit is a combined total of less than 0.07 micrograms per litre.
- For PFOA, the current limit is less than 0.56 micrograms per litre.
To put these measurements into context, a microgram is equivalent to a quarter of a teaspoon in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
How does PFAS enter water?
The properties that make PFAS useful in industrial and consumer products can also make them problematic in the environment where they may have been released. They don’t break down fully and can persist for a long time. They are also highly mobile in water and can travel long distances from their source.
In South Australia, we are fortunately in a very different position when it comes to PFAS in water, compared to some other locations around the country. There are no large industries, large populations or places where fire-fighting foams containing PFAS have been used (such as airports) near our drinking water sources, providing a low risk of PFAS contamination.
We know that the most effective way to limit PFAS in drinking water is to remove the source. Governments and industry continue to work together identify and control PFAS at their source.
What is SA Water doing?
Based on discussions with our regulator SA Health, in September 2024, we undertook proactive investigative sampling and testing for PFAS in six of our major water sources across Adelaide. This was to understand if there are any PFAS present to help inform our ongoing monitoring and testing approach, which will be reviewed with SA Health and guided by the outcome of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) review of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (2011).
The results were negative, meaning there were no detectable PFAS levels within these water sources.
We focused this initial investigative testing at our major metropolitan reservoirs based on an assessment of PFAS risk – there are higher populations of people near these sources, therefore more potential risk of PFAS contamination.
As a next step, together with SA Health, we will be looking at further investigative testing at additional water sources across South Australia.
We also continue to work with the broader water industry, regulators and researchers to ensure any potential emerging PFAS risk to water supplies is well understood and actively managed.
September 2024 investigative testing results
All sampling undertaken registered results below the limit of analytical detection of 0.002 micrograms per litre, meaning PFAS was not detected in any samples captured.
| Water source | Sum of PFHxS and PFOS (micrograms per litre) | PFOA (micrograms per litre) |
|---|---|---|
| Barossa Reservoir | <0.002 | <0.002 |
| Happy Valley Reservoir | <0.002 | <0.002 |
| Hope Valley Reservoir | <0.002 | <0.002 |
| Little Para Reservoir | <0.002 | <0.002 |
| Millbrook Reservoir | <0.002 | <0.002 |
| Myponga Reservoir | <0.002 | <0.002 |
Australian Drinking Water Guidelines review
The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (2011) are created by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council (NRMMC). They provide water regulators and suppliers like SA Water comprehensive advice on monitoring and managing drinking water quality, based on the most up-to-date scientific knowledge.
The NHMRC are currently reviewing health-based guideline values for PFAS within the guidelines.
This independent review will consider recent national and international guidance and reviews and determine whether they’re suitable to adopt for Australia. This process also involves public consultation, with submissions open until 22 November 2024.
The review is expected to be complete by mid 2025.
More information
There is a lot of information out there on PFAS, and it’s important to choose reliable, expert sources. Here are some useful links:
