DATE

LOCATION

INFORMATION

Public told to boil dirty water

Residents in Bright, Wandiligong and Porepunkah in the Victorian alpine region need to boil their water before use, because it is dirty.

The towns' water disinfection plant broke last night.

North-East Water says its staff are trying to fix the chlorinator, but are unsure what the problem is.

The authority says water from the tap needs to be boiled continuously for one minute, before consumption.

Clean water is available from a tanker opposite the senior citizens' centre in Cobden Street, Bright.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/21/2143019.htm?site=goulburnmurray 

No need to boil drinking water anymore, locals told

Residents in Bright, Porepunkah and Wandiligong can stop boiling their water before use.

A mudslide in the Ovens River four weeks ago made the town's supplies dirty and unsafe for consumption.

Run off from last week's rain also stirred up the water.

Fiona Smith from North East Water says the river is now clear and people do not need to boil their water before using it.

"The quality is back to normal operating levels," she said.

"We're doing increased levels of water quality monitoring in the town and we're not detecting any effects through the town so we're confident that the water supply is compliant with the standards."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/27/2102646.htm?site=goulburnmurray 

A SMALL community in central Victoria is paying for water it can't drink.

The supply to Sebastian from Coliban Water reportedly causes itching skin, stains paintwork and turns clothes a murky grey.

A Bendigo councillor has labelled the situation as "Third World".

Residents still get water bills, but a note on them warns the water is not drinkable.

Sebastian is only 18km north of Bendigo, but residents have been forced to install water tanks at their homes, then buy drinkable water to fill them.

Mother Kim O'Neill said she received burns to her scalp because the water was over-chlorinated, and her children's school uniforms turned from navy blue to grey after being washed in the town supply.

Neighbour Ron Balnaves said the water once changed his daughter's hair colour.

Coliban Water managing director Geoff Michell said yesterday there were plans to connect Sebastian to the main Bendigo supply between next year and 2013.

"When they connect with us they are made aware that it's a non-drinking water supply and there's no guarantee of water quality," he said.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22538628-2862,00.html 

Customers in the following towns − Yellingbo, Woori Yallock, Launching Place, Don Valley, Yarra Junction, Wesburn, Millgrove, Warburton and East Warburton − are reminded not to drink household tap water or use it for food preparation until further notice unless it is boiled for at least one minute.
This is a precautionary measure to minimise health risks. Special care should be taken with young children, people whose immune system is compromised and the elderly.

A

Call the free call service for regular updates on 1800 622 935 or alternatively updates are provided via website at www.yvw.com.au

www.yvw.com.au/NR/rdonlyres/080136F3-293B-4FF3-BDA1-67F2CC472816/ 0/BOILEDWATERNOTICEUPDATEletterfor30July.pdf

Boil water alert continues for Eildon

Eildon residents will have to continue boiling their water before use, for at least the next week.

The north-east Victorian town's water quality has been affected by a combination of dirty water run-off from fire areas and low water levels in Lake Eildon.

Goulburn Valley (GV) Water has recommissioned an old treatment plant, but it has not been used since the lake was built more than 50 years ago.

GV Water's Allen Gale says the Department of Human Services will test the water to ensure it is all right.

"We'll need to keep that boil water notice on until we get those results," he said.

"If the results are positive, we will notify all of our customers that the boil water notice can come off, if they're negative then we'll need to look further and the boil water notice will need to stay on."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/20/1983897.htm?site=goulburnmurray 

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22084480-661,00.html 

2007,
July 16

Alpine towns Victoria  

MYRTLEFORD
MT BEAUTY
TAWONGA

People in the Victorian alpine towns of Myrtleford, Mt Beauty and Tawonga are angry chlorine is being considered for their water supplies.

North East Water says E. coli has been found in the town supplies and residents will have to boil their water before they use it for at least the next 12 months.

Locals have campaigned to keep their supplies chlorine-free, but the authority says the chemical may be needed to disinfect the water.

Alpine councillor Greg Lee, from Mt Beauty, says they will fight to keep the chlorine out of their water.

"I know the people of Mt Beauty are totally, or pretty well totally opposed to chlorination in our water and we think we have the best water in Australia and it'd just be absolutely crazy to wreck the water supply with putting that stuff in it," he said.

A North East Water consultation committee member says chlorine is only being considered because the Victorian Government has changed its regulations for drinking water.

David Chew from Tawonga says the ozone treatment method they use now is working.

"I think the plant's working quite well, it's only a small amount of E. coli detected in the reticulation system, and the E. coli is only used as an indicator, but it doesn't mean it's going to cause any problems to the community," he said.

2007,
July 13

Alpine towns, Victoria

Residents in some Victorian alpine towns have been told they have to boil their drinking, cooking and cleaning water for at least the next year.

Victoria's Department of Human Services (DHS) has issued a long-term boil water notice for Myrtleford, Mt Beauty and Tawonga because of problems in disinfecting the town supply.

The notice comes into force from next month and will stay in place until the water complies with DHS regulations.

North East Water spokesman Jim Martin says that process takes a minimum of 12 months.

"What we have to understand to meet 100 per cent compliance takes more than a year because you're measuring the quality of the water each month over a year," he said.

Boil Water Notice for Eildon Township
A warning for residents in Eildon to boil their water before using it for drinking and food preparation has been issued by Goulburn Valley Water, in consultation with the Department of Human Services.

Goulburn Valley Water’s Managing Director, Mr Laurie Gleeson, said that increased turbidity (dirty water) levels have been recorded in Lake Eildon as a result of the low lake level and runoff from fire affected areas. “Eildon township draws water directly from Lake Eildon, and the turbidity levels within the town have the potential to compromise disinfection with chlorine.”

“While the risk of microbial contamination of the water was low, a conservative approach needed to be taken,” said Mr Gleeson.  “The Corporation has therefore issued a boil water notice to Eildon residents.” 

The notice advises Eildon residents to boil their water for at least one minute prior to using it for drinking or food preparation.

http://www.gvwater.vic.gov.au/Media_Releases/2007/Boil_Water_Eildon_Township_060707.asp