The Burdekin Shire Council performs quarterly water testing at various sites in Ayr, Home Hill and Brandon. Water Samples are sent away to Queensland Health & Scientific Services in Brisbane for Microbiological and Chemical anaylsis. We also test for Heavy Metals and Pesticides at various sites throughout the Shire.
Council is committed to ensuring that water supplied to Burdekin residents from the water reticulation scheme meets National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) drinking water guidelines (External Link). This requirement is also legislation under the Water Act 2000.
The Testing Explained
- Samples are taken from random sites throughout the Shire on a quarterly basis.
- Testing points are disinfected using a 70% ethanol solution.
- Samples must be received by the lab in Brisbane before they are 24 hours old.
- Microbiological testing ensures that water is free from EColi and Coliforms and Chemical Analysis tests for levels of Nitrates, Total Dissolved Solids, etc.
Factsheets
There are a number of factsheets available from the NHMRC Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2004 which should assist you in understanding the results of the water analysis results below.
Water Sampling Results