Barwon Water has released a statement regarding recent media coverage that reported that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) levels in various drinking water sources around Australia were found to be above guidelines in the US.
Barwon Water said that it follows rigorous processes to ensure that the drinking water it supplies meets high quality standards and is safe for its customers and community.
Barwon Water adheres to the current National Health and Medical Research Council Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) which set acceptable levels for PFAS in Australian drinking water.
The utility said that it routinely conducts a range of tests to ensure drinking water quality complies with the guidelines and has never detected PFAS or PFOS above these levels; with Barwon Water saying all test results have been well under the Australian drinking water guideline levels.
Barwon Water also participates in research on treatment methods and water quality risks to protect the health of the community.
Barwon Water said that when establishing health guidance such as drinking water guideline values in Australia, scientific evidence is assessed with consideration of the Australian context, and that it is not unusual for guidance values to vary from country to country depending on the purpose for which they are used, the local context and the interpretation of the evidence.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has developed the current Australian Drinking Water Guidelines which are used by state and territory health departments, drinking water regulators, local health authorities and water utilities.
Image: Sevda Ercan/shutterstock.com