Revised drinking water guidelines in Australia have been released for public consultation.
The update includes more stringent standards on the allowable level of the so-called forever chemicals or PFAS in tap water - based on the latest scientific evidence and international guidance on human health considerations.
“Well, we looked at international groundwater and surface waters, just natural waters that could be used, taken through a treatment plant, and then we could drink the water after that. And we found that PFAS was pervasive throughout the world, in our ground and surface waters at concentrations higher than would be deemed acceptable in many international jurisdictions.”
In December 2023, the cancer agency of the World Health Organization* classified a type of PFAS called PFOA to "carcinogenic to humans". Last month a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry was established after independent testing on raw, untreated water - reported in the Sydney Morning Herald - showed hotpots of PFAS contamination, including in dams in the Blue Mountains.
Jon Dee is a Blue Mountains local resident, social entrepreneur and environmental advocate who co-founded the Australian environmental non-profit, Planet Ark.“Well, we're in a situation where we have totally unsafe levels of these PFAS forever chemicals in our drinking water. So many of us are now having to buy reverse osmosis water filters, which cost many, many, many hundreds of dollars. In fact, the one I've just got is a thousand dollars unit.
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