Water quality, no water and fluoridation of water

If you're experiencing a change in water pressure, follow these steps:

1. Check the water hasn't been turned off at the water meter.
2. If the water is on at the meter, call us on 131 872.

If you're experiencing a lack of water supplied to your property, please follow these steps:

1. Check current roadworks.
2. Check the water hasn't been turned off at the water meter.
3. If water works haven't been scheduled and the water is on at the meter, please contact us on 131 872.

Discoloured or cloudy water is usually because of a change within your water pipes. An increase in water flow rate or swift change in direction of water flow in the pipes can stir up sediment. The sediment makes the water look discoloured but is harmless and safe to drink.

What to do

To clear up the discolouration try running a garden tap closest to your water meter for around 2 minutes and then see if the water is clear when run into a glass. Remember to catch the running water in a bucket to use on your garden.

If there is an odour or 'dirt' in the water, run the tap for approximately 1 minute before using. This will flush the pipes out.

If the water doesn't clear, contact us.

When air is trapped inside pressurised water pipes, it is converted to tiny air bubbles which gives water a white or milky appearance. This water is still safe to drink.

Air can enter the water supply causing the discolouration during repairs to the pipe network.

What to do

Catch water in an open container and it will become clear within a few minutes. The bubbles will clear from the bottom of the glass upwards.

If the water doesn't clear, contact us.

While your water might taste or small of chlorine, the water is safe to drink. 

We add a small amount of chlorine to kill any harmful microorganisms during water treatment. This helps prevent bacteria from growing as the water travels through pipes to your home. A small amount of chlorine stays in the water to keep it safe until it reaches your tap.

How to reduce the smell of chlorine

The smell will disappear by leaving a jug of water uncovered in the fridge for a short period of time.

At the water treatment plant, we use several steps to clean and disinfect the water:

Step 1: Coagulation

We add a special substance called poly aluminium chloride (PAC) to the water. This helps tiny dirt particles stick together and form larger clumps that are easier to remove.

Step 2: Flocculation

PAC continues to work by helping suspended particles join into bigger clumps, called floc. These clumps sink to the bottom of the tank as sludge, which is then removed and sent to Wetalla for further treatment.

Step 3: Filtration

The water passes through filters or membranes that catch and remove any remaining particles.

Step 4: Chlorination

We add a small amount of chlorine to kill any harmful microorganisms that might still be present. This also helps prevent bacteria from growing as the water travels through pipes to your home. A tiny amount of chlorine stays in the water to keep it safe until it reaches your tap.

Bore water, also called groundwater, comes from rain that has slowly filtered down through layers of rock into underground spaces called aquifers. In Toowoomba, we access this water through twenty bores that reach between 30 and 100 metres deep into the basalt aquifer.

1. Natural filtration

As the water travels through rock layers, it’s naturally filtered. This helps remove many impurities, but sometimes the water picks up minerals that make it ‘hard’, meaning it doesn’t lather well with soap. 

To improve water quality, we pass some of this hard water through special filters to make it ‘soft’ and easier to use for everyday tasks like washing and cleaning.

2. Disinfection with chlorine

Before bore water enters the supply system, we add a small amount of chlorine to kill any harmful bacteria that may have entered after the water was pumped from underground. This ensures the water is safe to drink and use in your home.