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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-12-03 Daily Xml
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APY Lands

155 The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (12 November 2019).

1. In correspondence dated 12 October 2019 you stated that, 'I am advised that SA Water complies with all requirements of the act with the exception of fluoride and you further advised that, as a result, bottled water is currently being provided to residents on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands. The Premier in a letter 16 October 2019 provided different advice, saying, 'SA Water supplies water to the main communities on the APY lands. The supply complies with the requirements of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2011 and the Safe Drinking Water Act 2011.' Of the advice provided, which is correct?

2. Does the government hold any other concerns regarding the quality of water on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands—in particular, high levels of salts, minerals or heavy metals such as uranium?

3. Are staff of the department instructed to drink bottled water on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing): I have been advised:

1. As indicated in my letter of 12 October 2019, except for groundwater supplied to the small community at Nyapari, drinking water supplied by SA Water to residents in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) complies with the Safe Drinking Water Act 2011 and hence meets the requirements of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Bottled or cask water is being supplied to residents of Nyapari as a temporary measure prior to installation of a new water treatment plant. Installation of the treatment plant was completed on 1 November 2019 and subject to confirmation by water quality testing the supply of bottled water will no longer be required.

2. There are no other concerns about the quality of drinking water managed by SA Water on APY lands including concentrations of salts, minerals or heavy metals such as uranium.

3. There are no department-wide instructions to drink bottled water on the APY lands. Following successful commissioning of the new treatment plant at Nyapari there will be no need to use alternatives such as bottled water in any of the communities.

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