News of naturally-occurring uranium affecting drinking water supplies in the Tamworth region have raised questions about the local situation, but Tenterfield Shire Council general manager Damien Connor allayed any concerns.
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He said, despite rumours, Tenterfield has never had a history of high uranium readings on record, and is unlikely to do so as we’re not in an area known for the presence of uranium.
The council follows all water testing requirements prescribed by Hunter New England Health and the Environmental Protection Agency.
“We aren’t required to test for it, so we don’t,” Mr Connor said.
He said it would be a straightforward matter to include testing for uranium should the requirements change, but he doesn’t anticipate that happening anytime soon. All current readings are ‘”quite good” and Mr Connor said Tenterfield enjoys a good, reliable water supply thanks to its geography.
That’s the beauty of being located at the top of the catchment.
- Damien Connor
“That’s the beauty of being located at the top of the catchment.”
He said the town’s backup water supply from the Shirley Park bore has been out of action since the facility was badly damaged in the 2011 floods. It will be costly to restore and there are no plans in the short term to do so. Should that happen, however, all testing protocols would be followed.
A number of residents including Mr Connor have noted a more earthy odour and taste in the town water supply, but he assured users this was a seasonal phenomenon as the water warmed up. Recent rains have also affected the volume of water passing through the system, which can lead to discolouration and odour, but Mr Connor assured users that the water is still of good quality.
Branches of the system with few users can experience problems due to less turnover and under these circumstances it’s possible to flush the mains, but Mr Connor said this is relatively rare due to the volume of water that is wasted in the process.
Still he asked residents experiencing significant problems with the water supply to contact council with their concerns, so that any recurring issues can be identified and addressed.
