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Last Updated: Tuesday, 11 March 2025 11:23

These are explanatory resources which may help you interpret your water testing report.

Australian Drinking Water Guidelines

When your report states that the water does not comply with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines:

• Access information on Water Treatment options here. (For rainwater tanks, scroll to Page 9, 'Treatment options'.)
• If you want to know more about what the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines are:
  • Access the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, go to 'Downloads' and open the first document in the list; 'Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (2011)'.
  • The guidelines are a Federal Government document, which are 'concerned both with safety from a health point of view and with aesthetic quality.'
  • Tables 10.5 and 10.6 (page 208) summarise the guideline values for microbial, chemical and physical and characteristics of water.
  • The guidelines are 'designed to provide an authoritative reference on what defines safe, good quality water...'

Other guidelines:

Livestock

• Access the Primary industries – livestock drinking water guidelines
• These guidelines are an Australian Government Initiative which is to be used as a guide only.
• The Guidelines 'Provides guidance and default guideline values applicable to both groundwater and surface water quality provided for livestock drinking water commonly found in Australia and New Zealand...'

Irrigation with surface and ground water

• Access the Primary industries – Irrigation guidelines (draft)
• The use of Greywater diversion devices and treatment plants require Council approval. Please visit Greywater systems for details.
   

Pools, spas and aquatic facilities

• Access the water quality guidelines for public aquatic facilities

Rented and community premises

• Access the drinking water guidelines
  
  

If further information is required, please contact Laboratory Services on 07 4688 6270.