Page 2420 - Week 06 - Friday, 27 June 2008

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Water—consumption
(Question No 2075)

Dr Foskey asked the Minister for the Environment, Water and Climate Change, upon notice, on 8 May 2008 (redirected to the Treasurer):

(1) What steps is ActewAGL undertaking to ensure that micro-contaminants, such as pathogens, pharmaceuticals, nano-particles, chemical warfare agents, and industrial chemical poisons, are not infiltrating our drinking water;

(2) Will these same protections be applied to the demonstration water plant;

(3) Could the Minister provide the data on the past 10 years regarding Canberra’s water consumption by (a) household, (b) private enterprise, and (c) government, by (i) percentage and (ii) volume; if not, could the Minister advise which statistics on water consumption are available to the public.

Mr Stanhope: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

(1) ACTEW Corporation (ACTEW) is responsible for water and waste-water services in the ACT which are provided by ActewAGL under a contractual agreement. This response has been provided on such a basis.

ACTEW uses a number of approaches to ensure that it provides safe drinking water for the ACT community. These interrelated approaches include:

a. Compliance with the most recent Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, and the ACT Health Code of Practice for drinking water.

• ACTEW ensures compliance with the most recent Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (produced in 2004 for the Australian Government by the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council), as well as the ACT Health Code of Practice for drinking water. These guidelines are designed to provide safe drinking water for the community. ActewAGL produces an annual summary of drinking water quality, which is publicly disseminated.

b. Catchment risk management plans.

• ACTEW develops Catchment Risk Management Plans to minimise the source of pollutants such as pathogens, pharmaceuticals, nano-particles, chemical warfare agents, and industrial chemical poisons, on the water extracted from rivers and reservoirs used for water supply.

c. On-going monitoring of water quality in such rivers and reservoirs.

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