DR JOE SEEKS ASSURANCES ON WATER QUALITY

The Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr, will write to State Ministers to ensure the ongoing safety and reliability of the city’s water supply, following revelations that low level PFAS contamination has been found in a bore at West Wagga.

While welcoming an assurance from Riverina Water that there is no risk to the health of local people, Dr McGirr says it is crucial that the water remains completely safe for use, ahead of increased consumption in summer.

“It’s pleasing to note that the PFAS level in the bore is very low and that the bore has been isolated from the network but as the weather warms and demand rises, our community must remain confident in our water supply,” he said.

“I will seek those assurances in writing from the Water Minister, Rose Jackson, and Environment Minister Penny Sharpe.

Dr McGirr said it was pleasing to note that the PFAS levels found in the bore were well below the health limits set by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, but it was essential that any risk must be eliminated.

“The health and safety of the Wagga Wagga community is absolutely paramount, so I will work closely with the government to not only make sure that the water remains safe but also that the community is kept up kept up to date on all efforts to prevent any further contamination,” he said.

Dr McGirr welcomed a commitment from Defence to work closely with Riverina Water and other agencies to ensure strong measures are put into place to manage any future risks.

He said it was encouraging to note that no traces of PFAS had been found in East Wagga bores, which are close to a source of the contamination at the RAAF Base, but ongoing vigilance and community updates were needed.

“Wagga Wagga enjoys clean, clear and safe drinking water and deserves no less, so I’ll continue to work closely with governments to ensure that we can continue to be absolutely confident in the future of our water supply,” he said.

For more information about the testing results, visit https://rwcc.nsw.gov.au/pfas