Don’t Drink the Tap Water!!!

AT 9pm tonight the Upper Hunter Shire Council published a post on their Facebook page advising residents the drinking water from Glenbawn Dam to Scone and potentially Murrurundi water supply is no longer safe to drink.

UPDATE: Not Unsafe – Only Risk of Being Unsafe Too High

Since this was issued at 9pm on Friday night there may be many residents who are unaware the water is no longer safe to drink, especially the elderly who may not have access to Facebook or the internet, please care for others in the community and advise them of the health warning. It is especially important for people in the community who may have underlying health conditions.

Residents are advised water should be brought to a rolling boil before being used to drink, for food preparation, brushing your teeth, gargling or for pet’s drinking water.

Children should take bottled water or cooled boiled water to school.

Dishes can still be washed in hot soapy water or in a dishwasher.

If you are unable to boil water, Council advises people should use unscented household bleach containing 4 to 5 percent chlorine, add two drops of bleach to 1 litre of water, or four drops if the water is cloudy, mix well and stand for 30 minutes before use. 

Council have advised recent heavy rainfall in the Glenbawn Dam catchment has caused issues with their water treatment system.

There have been reports of cryptosporidium in the dam, however Council have not referenced this in their release.

At Council’s Infrastructure meeting on Tuesday it was raised that there was a blue green algae issue, but Council said it planned to draw water from a lower section of the dam.

For further health information please see the NSW Health website.

Related story:

• Water Update: Not Unsafe – But Risk Too High – March 14, 2020.