WATER FLUORIDATION

In reply to the Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (23 March 2012).

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers): The Minister for Water and the River Murray has been advised:

1. Fluoride levels dosed into drinking water are monitored by continuous on-line measurement. Fluoride is also monitored by a weekly grab sample at the outlets of water treatment plants. For Metropolitan Adelaide, three composite samples are analysed for fluoride each week.

2. The Drinking Water Quality Annual Report, released each year, summarises the minimum, maximum and average fluoride levels across all drinking water supplies, including natural and dosed fluoride levels. Notification to the Department of Health and Ageing is made when the fluoride level exceeds the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG, 2011) health guideline of 1.5 mg/L. No public notification is required below 1.5 mg/L as this is not considered an issue for public health. Over the last five years, no customer taps have recorded a fluoride level in exceedence of 1.5 mg/L in any of SA Water's drinking water supplies where fluoride is dosed.

3. Fluoride dosing systems are monitored continuously online, with low and high fluoride doses resulting in alarms and automatic shutdown of water treatment plant facilities. As a further precaution, daily dosing tanks are used where fluoride is decanted to a daily dosing tank prior to dosing the drinking water supply. Weekly verification samples are also sent to a National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited laboratory to assess fluoride levels in the distribution system.

4. Allwater, has several key performance indicators related to fluoride over and under dosing, which can result in penalties and fines. Any dose above 1.5 mg/L requires immediate notification to the Department of Health and Ageing.

5. Fluoride monitoring is reviewed every year in line with the Department of Health and Ageing document 'Water/Wastewater Incident Notification and Communication Protocol'. The current monitoring systems in place across SA Water are considered industry best practice.