Unacceptable lead content in water supplied to regional towns

Dan van Holst Pellekaan MP

Shadow Minister for Regional Development
Shadow Minister for Sport & Recreation
Shadow Minister for Racing

Unacceptable lead content in water supplied to regional towns

SA Water has supplied water to four Outback towns with a lead content above recommended levels, according to results of water samples obtained by the Liberal Opposition. 

The water is supplied as safe to drink if boiled – but boiling does not remove lead.

Seven samples of water tested in four towns in the State’s North – Mannahill, Olary, Oodlawirra and Yunta – were identified as having a lead content above acceptable levels.  So the question must be asked, what did the Government do about it?

Liberal Member for Stuart Dan van Holst Pellekaan MP says the Weatherill Labor Government has serious questions to answer.

“The Weatherill Labor Government must come clean and explain whether they notified these communities about unacceptable levels of lead in their drinking water and if not, why not,” Mr van Holst Pellekaan said.

“Premier Weatherill must also explain whether these communities were told that they should not drink the water and that boiling the water would not reduce the lead content.”

Mr van Holst Pellekaan raised concerns last year about the cost of water in regional towns, with residents in towns on the Barrier Highway being charged three times more for water than the people in Adelaide, and also queried its quality.

“We already have a situation where people who have no access to the River Murray are paying the River Murray Levy plus they’re paying high prices for water - and now we find out that they are getting poor quality water which is potentially dangerous to their health,” Mr van Holst Pellekaan said.

“Regional South Australians deserve to have affordable, good quality water just like those living in metropolitan Adelaide.  And most importantly, if they are told they can drink it then it must be safe.

“Locals, visitors and tourists alike all rely upon safe drinking water.  If this has happened in these towns, then where else could it have happened?”