Cairns Regional Council – Drinking Water Quality Annual Report 2020-2021

WATER & RESOURCE RECOVERY GENERAL MANAGER MESSAGE FROM THE

“The 2020/2021 year has been a busy and important period for water quality in the Water & Resource Recovery Department. From catchment management to fine-scale investigations in the reticulation network, the teams have pulled together working day in, day out to supply safe and palatable water to the Cairns community.”

“Millions of dollars were spent on maintaining and constructing water supply infrastructure while the Council continues to advocate for external funding to establish a new water source from Mulgrave River to ensure water supply demand can be met with an increasing population.”

“This year was significant for FNQ Councils, including Cairns, which were audited on behalf of the water supply regulator to ensure their Drinking Water Quality Management Plans were satisfactory and being implemented by water service providers to effectively manage water quality risks. All in all, it has been a successful year and please enjoy reading more about the Cairns water supply.”

ABOUT US

Cairns Regional Council is responsible for delivering drinking water, sewerage, recycled water and resource recovery services to a population of over 170 000.

Our 1687km² geographic area is framed by the lush World Heritage listed Wet Tropics rainforest to the west and north and the Coral Sea and World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to the east.

Cairns Regional Council maintains a Drinking Water Quality Management System (DWQMS) that is consistent with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (2011, National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia). The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines are hereon referred to as the ADWG for the remainder of this report.

The DWQMS utilises a risk-based “catchment to tap” approach to identify and manage potential risks associated with drinking water quality. Council does this in partnership with stakeholders and relevant agencies, by:

• Considering the needs and expectations of our customers, stakeholders, regulators and employees and integrate appropriate solutions into our planning to provide and maintain safe water supplies.

• Undertaking regular monitoring of drinking water quality and maintaining effective reporting mechanisms to provide relevant and timely information and promote confidence in the management of the water supply systems.

• Having in place appropriate contingency plans and incident response capabilities to respond to and manage water quality incidents.

• Auditing and reviewing our practices against industry standards and stakeholder expectations to continually improve our performance.

• Maintaining competencies of council employees to improve knowledge about water quality, treatment standards and compliance procedures.

• Openly communicating our performance to the community to encourage public awareness.

This annual report describes our performance about the supply of drinking water for the 2020/2021 financial year.

SOURCING AND DELIVERING WATER

Figure 1: Scheme Boundaries

Cairns Regional Council – Drinking Water Quality Annual Report 2020-2021

Cairns Regional Council provides drinking water services to nine water supply ‘schemes.’ Schemes start at the intake point on waterways, pass through treatment plants, bulk storage reservoirs, water distribution networks and end at the customer water meter. Council’s largest water supply scheme is the Copperlode/Behana scheme, which services the city of Cairns. A map of the Council drinking water scheme areas is shown in Figure 1 below. Refer to Table 1 below for more information regarding each scheme.

Russell Heads3

MANAGING SAFE DRINKING WATER

DRINKING WATER LEGISLATION

The supply of safe and reliable drinking water in Queensland is regulated by state legislation, including the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 and the Public Health Act 2005. Under the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008, the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water (RDMW) regulates Council to ensure that drinking water services are conducted in accordance with an approved DWQMP. Under the Public Health Act 2005, Queensland Health regulates drinking water quality to protect public health. This legislation establishes an E. coli standard for this purpose.

The ADWG set health guideline values which have been incorporated into the Public Health Regulation 2018 as water quality criteria for drinking water in Queensland.

FRAMEWORK FOR MANAGING DRINKING WATER

Cairns Regional Council’s methodology for managing drinking water quality is through a developed Drinking Water Quality Management System (DWQMS), based on the ADWG Framework for Management of Drinking Water Quality.

The primary aim is to provide safe drinking water to Cairns Regional Council customers.

The DWQMS provides a framework to bring together, and supplement where necessary, the operational procedures and work practices of Council into a structured management system.

The System is designed to formalise and link together procedures and practices, and assist in setting priorities, allocation of resources and performance of daily work activities.

A key attribute of the DWQMS is continual improvement, which includes improving the system itself. Any issues that arise with the system are viewed as opportunities for improvement.

DWQMS CORE ELEMENTS

Our DWQMS is based on the following core elements that make up the overall systems management approach:

• Organisation commitment

• Planning and Risk assessment

• Asset Management and Renewal

• Hazard analysis and critical controls

• Preventative measures

• Monitoring and verification

• Information Management

• Incident management

DWQMP IMPLEMENTATION

The implementation of the DWQMP is the responsibility of the General Manager, Water and Resource Recovery, supported by key operational staff and subject matter experts.

Officers responsible for the implementation of the DWQMP meet quarterly to review the verification monitoring program, drinking water incidents, customer complaints and risk management improvement items.

DISTRIBUTION OF THE DWQMP AND DRINKING WATER QUALITY POLICY

Council maintains a current version of the DWQMP on its corporate document management system and is available to all relevant staff.

A Drinking Water Quality General Policy, endorsed by the Chief Executive Officer,

“to establish and maintain a Drinking Water Quality Management System consistent with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines”, is maintained.

The policy assigns responsibility for the management of drinking water quality to all Water and Waste staff whilst acknowledging that corporate responsibility lies with the management team and ultimately with the Chief Executive Officer.

The policy is available to the public via the following link: https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_ file/0011/9200/LIVE-1512851-v7-Drinking_Water_Quality_ General_Policy.pdf

TRAINING OF STAFF

Council recognises that staff awareness training is a critical element of the system. The DWQMP commits to awareness training of staff through internal information sessions. Early in 2020/21 the Drinking Water Quality Management Systems (12 Elements) awareness training continued. Additional training activities were somewhat restricted because of COVID restrictions on site access. A review of the training schedule is currently being completed to formalise the various forms of training required for individual staff. The review resulted in the following training planned for 2022:

• Drinking Water Quality Duty of Care (internal)

• Drinking Water Quality Incident Management (internal)

• Introduction to the Framework for Management of Drinking Water Quality (externally provided)

ATTENDANCE AT DEPARTMENT TRAINING AND INDUSTRY CONFERENCES

Council staff participate in industry training events and conferences to maintain professional development and to network with contemporaries from across the water sector. Events attended in the 2020/2021 reporting period include:

• FNQROC Water Sub-group Meetings

• RDMW Cyber Security Forum on 26 May 2021

• RDMW Water Supply Regulation Forum Cairns on 24 March 2021

• Qldwater Directorate Conference 2020

COORDINATION TEAM

An appropriately qualified and experienced team (listed in Table 2) is responsible for coordinating the system. This team reports to the quarterly to the Water and Resource Recovery management team on activities including:

• System review, including risk register review,

• Quality and critical control points,

• Exceedances,

• Complaints received,

• Standard operating procedures,

• Business continuity plans,

• Operational descriptions,

• Drawings (as constructed and piping and instrumentation diagrams),

• SCADA schematics, and

• System implementation, optimisation and maintenance.

Drinking water customer service performance data is compiled monthly and reported quarterly to Council. Data includes mains breaks, unplanned interruptions, response times and water quality complaints as well as reportable drinking water non-compliances.

Table 2: DWQMP coordination team.

Position of Internal Stakeholder

Manager Utilities Services

Reason for Inclusion

Overall responsibility for operation system. System governance. System sign-off.

Manager Business Performance & Compliance Overall responsibility for quality system and governance. System sign-off.

Water Services Coordinator

Team Leader Demand Management

Rural systems and reticulation network operational management and process controller.

Rural systems and reticulation network operational management and process controller.

Process and Treatment Coordinator Treatment system operational management and process controller

Process Engineer Water Treatment system operational management and process controller

Assets Coordinator Asset management

Principal Engineer Design & Delivery Delivery of capital works program

Principal Engineer Strategy & Planning Strategic planning of water infrastructure

SCADA Coordinator

Maintain SCADA systems. Technical advice for SCADA.

Strategic Policy & Compliance Coordinator System support. Regulatory liaison, maintenance of systems.

Team Leader Compliance & Quality Systems System support. Regulatory liaison, maintenance of systems, internal auditing.

Quality Systems Officer System and regulatory support, advice and investigations.

SOURCE WATER

The first step in an effective DWQMS is to understand hazards in the natural water sources where drinking water is sourced. Council achieves this through an extensive Source Water Monitoring Program. The Program allows for the quantitative and qualitative assessment of risks in the catchments to determine treatment requirements.

Table 3 shows a summary of Council’s Source Water Monitoring Program. This is not an exhaustive list, the complete list of summarised results by scheme can be found in section Source Water Monitoring Program Results Summary Statistics below.

Cairns

Table 3: General summary of Source Water Monitoring Program

Scheme

Parameter Monitored

E. coli

Frequency of Monitoring

Cryptosporidium Giardia Temperature Turbidity Monthly

Iron Manganese Silicon Calcium Magnesium Potassium Sodium Total hardness Total dissolved salts (calc) Colour Electrical conductance pH Total alkalinity Sulphate Chloride Fluoride

Quarterly

Behana Creek Intake

Cryptosporidium Giardia Turbidity Weekly

Colour

E. coli and total coliforms Electrical conductance Heterotrophic plate count Iron Manganese pH Turbidity

Weekly Dissolved oxygen Temperature Sulphide Monthly Alkalinity Ammonia Blue Green Algae Chlorophyll a Ortho Phosphate

Quarterly

Freshwater Creek Intake

Total Oxidised Nitrogen Total nitrogen Total phosphorous Thermotolerant coliforms

Arsenic Calcium Chloride Magnesium Organochlorine pesticides Organophosphate pesticides Potassium Silicon Sodium Sulphate Tin

Total dissolved salts (calc)

Total hardness

Six monthly

Babinda, Bartle Frere, Bellenden Ker, Bramston Beach, Fishery Falls, Mirriwinni, Mountain View, Orchid Valley

Copperlode/Behana

SOURCE WATER MONITORING PROGRAM RESULTS SUMMARY STATISTICS

This section provides a complete summary of source water monitoring results.

Note: ‘Not detected’ and ‘less than’ results have been replaced with zero prior to calculation of averages. This is because whole numbers are required for calculating averages.

Table

4: Babinda Source Water Summary Statistics

BABINDA

Result Name

Apparent Colour 4 5.71 4.7 7.6 5.25 Pt/Co units

Calcium 4 0.79 0.65 0.92 0.795 mg/L

Chloride 4 5.50 5.4 5.7 5.5 mg/L

Confirmed Cryptosporidium 12 0.08 1 1 0 (oo)cyst/10L Confirmed Giardia 12 0.33 1 1 0 (oo)cyst/10L E coli 12 171.42 23 350 125 CFU/100mL Electrical Conductance 4 33.98 33 36 33.5 µS/cm

Fluoride 4 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 mg/L

ICPOES Iron 4 0.03 0.024 0.035 0.03 mg/L

ICPOES Manganese 4 0.00 <0.002 <0.002 0 mg/L

ICPOES Silicon 4 15.72 12 19 15.5 mg/ L SiO² Magnesium 4 0.40 0.35 0.43 0.405 mg/L pH 4 7.23 7.1 7.3 7.2 Potassium 4 1.05 0.98 1.1 1.1 mg/L

Presumptive Cryptosporidium 12 0.08 1 1 0 (oo)cyst/10L

Presumptive Giardia 12 0.08 1 1 0 (oo)cyst/10L Sodium 4 4.66 3.9 5.4 4.65 mg/L Sulphate 4 1.77 1 3.8 1.15 mg/L Temperature 12 22.18 19 24 23 °C Total Alkalinity 4 6.85 5.9 8 6.75 mg CaCO³ / L Total Dissolved Salts (calc) 4 34.02 28 39 34.5 mg/L

Total Hardness 4 3.61 3.1 4 3.65 mg CaCO³ / L True Colour 4 4.34 3.2 6.1 4 Pt/Co units Turbidity 12 0.70 0.2 4 0.35 NTU

BARTLE FRERE

Result Name

Number of Tests Average Minimum Maximum Median Units

Apparent Colour 4 3.78 3.2 4.3 3.8 Pt/Co units

Calcium 4 0.83 0.69 1 0.805 mg/L Chloride 4 4.56 4.4 4.9 4.5 mg/L

Confirmed Cryptosporidium 12 0.25 1 2 0 (oo)cyst/10L

Confirmed Giardia 12 0.08 1 1 0 (oo)cyst/10L E coli 12 160.92 19 370 115 CFU/100mL

Electrical Conductance 4 30.22 29 33 29.5 µS/cm Fluoride 4 0.03 0.02 0.04 0.03 mg/L

ICPOES Iron 4 0.02 0.014 0.029 0.018 mg/L ICPOES Manganese 4 0.00 0.002 0.002 0 mg/L

ICPOES Silicon 4 15.20 12 19 14.5 mg/ L SiO² Magnesium 4 0.32 0.28 0.35 0.33 mg/L pH 4 7.17 7.1 7.3 7.15 Potassium 4 0.85 0.76 0.96 0.84 mg/L

Presumptive Cryptosporidium 12 Not detected (oo)cyst/10L

Presumptive Giardia 12 Not detected (oo)cyst/10L Sodium 4 4.19 3.6 4.9 4.15 mg/L Sulphate 4 0.94 <1 <1 0 mg/L Temperature 12 21.20 18 23 22 °C

Total Alkalinity 4 6.87 6.2 8.2 6.55 mg CaCO³ / L

Total Dissolved Salts (calc) 4 31.04 26 37 30.5 mg/L

Total Hardness 4 3.39 2.9 3.9 3.35 mg CaCO³ / L

True Colour 4 2.70 2 3.5 2.65 Pt/Co units Turbidity 12 0.44 0.1 2 0.3 NTU

BELLENDEN KER

Result Name

Number of Tests

Average

Minimum

Maximum Median Units

Apparent Colour 4 8.51 3.9 22 4.1 Pt/Co units

Calcium 4 0.57 0.48 0.71 0.55 mg/L Chloride 4 5.19 4.9 5.4 5.25 mg/L

Confirmed Cryptosporidium 11 0.45 1 4 0 (oo)cyst/10L

Confirmed Giardia 11 0.27 1 2 0 (oo)cyst/10L

E coli 12 911.00 20 8400 165 CFU/100mL

Electrical Conductance 4 28.67 27 31 28.5 µS/cm

Fluoride 4 0.02 <0.02 <0.02 0.02 mg/L Iron 4 0.03 0.013 0.073 0.015 mg/L Manganese 4 0.00 <0.002 0.006 0 mg/L Silicon 4 11.46 9.8 13 12 mg/ L SiO² Magnesium 4 0.34 0.3 0.39 0.335 mg/L

pH 4 7.07 7.1 7.1 7.1 Potassium 4 0.84 0.72 1 0.805 mg/L

Presumptive Cryptosporidium 11 Not detected (oo)cyst/10L

Presumptive Giardia 11 0.18 1 1 0 (oo)cyst/10L

Sodium 4 3.96 3.5 4.3 4 mg/L Sulphate 4 0.05 <1 1.5 0 mg/L Temperature 12 20.38 18 23 20.5 °C

Total Alkalinity 4 5.11 4.6 5.7 5.1 mg CaCO³ / L

Total Dissolved Salts (calc) 4 25.50 23 28 25.5 mg/L

Total Hardness 4 2.83 2.4 3.4 2.8 mg CaCO³ / L

True Colour 4 5.21 2.2 14 2.45 Pt/Co units Turbidity 12 0.55 0.1 2.3 0.4 NTU

BRAMSTON BEACH

Result Name

Number of Tests Average

Minimum Maximum Median Units

Apparent Colour 4 12.43 1.5 43 2.5 Pt/Co units

Calcium 4 1.55 1.3 1.8 1.55 mg/L Chloride 4 8.84 8.2 11 8.3 mg/L

Confirmed Cryptosporidium 10 0.10 1 1 0 (oo)cyst/10L

Confirmed Giardia 10 Not detected (oo)cyst/10L E coli 12 204.17 11 1700 48.5 CFU/100mL

Electrical Conductance 4 46.31 46 47 46 µS/cm

Fluoride 4 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 mg/L

ICPOES Iron 4 0.15 0.016 0.522 0.0355 mg/L

ICPOES Manganese 4 0.03 <0.002 0.1 0.004 mg/L

ICPOES Silicon 4 9.30 7.4 11 9.55 mg/ L SiO² Magnesium 4 1.45 1.2 1.7 1.45 mg/L pH 4 7.15 7 7.3 7.15 Potassium 4 0.31 0.23 0.4 0.305 mg/L

Presumptive Cryptosporidium 10 Not detected (oo)cyst/10L

Presumptive Giardia 10 Not detected (oo)cyst/10L

Sodium 4 4.76 4.3 5 4.9 mg/L Sulphate 4 1.23 1.2 1.3 1.2 mg/L Temperature 12 25.72 22 35 25.5 °C

Total Alkalinity 4 8.46 7.5 9.2 8.55 mg CaCO³ / L

Total Dissolved Salts (calc) 4 32.53 28 35 33.5 mg/L

Total Hardness 4 9.84 8.2 11 9.75 mg CaCO³ / L True Colour 4 1.93 1.3 2.7 1.9 Pt/Co units Turbidity 13 3.09 0.1 15 0.4 NTU

COPPERLODE/BEHANA

Result Name

Number of Tests

Average

Minimum Maximum Median Units

Ammonia 138 0.06 0.02 1.3 0.03 mg/L N

Apparent Colour 190 21.23 6 >150 15 Pt/Co units

Calcium 2 1.48 1.4 1.6 1.5 mg/L

Chloride 2 8.16 7.7 8.6 8.15 mg/L

Conductivity (in Situ) 221 46.43 29 150 44 µS/cm

DO in situ (mg/L) 335 5.51 <0.1 14 6 mg/L E coli 80 25.08 <1 800 0 CFU/100mL

Electrical Conductance 135 44.37 38 78 44 µS/cm Heterotrophic Plate Count 80 367.25 <10 2800 250 CFU/mL

ICPMS Arsenic 2 0.00 0.0018 0.0021 0.00195 mg/L

ICPMS Iron 21 0.38 0.198 1.27 0.29 mg/L

ICPMS Manganese 21 0.08 0.023 0.314 0.0516 mg/L

ICPMS Tin 2 0.00 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 mg/L

ICPOES Iron 253 0.59 0.044 14 0.302 mg/L

ICPOES Manganese 253 0.08 0.007 2.27 0.025 mg/L

ICPOES Silicon 2 7.45 6.9 8 7.45 mg/ L SiO² Intestinal Enterococci 29 16.76 <1 107 0 CFU/100mL

Magnesium 2 1.11 1.1 1.2 1.15 mg/L

Organochlorine pesticides 50 0.00 Not detected mg/L Organophosphorus pesticides 102 0.00 Not detected mg/L Ortho Phosphate (OP) 138 0.00 <0.01 <0.01 0 mg/L P pH 135 7.14 6.4 7.4 7.2 pH (in situ) 212 6.53 5.4 8.9 6.4 pH units Potassium 2 0.79 0.78 0.8 0.79 mg/L

Reported Chlorophyll a 29 7.52 <1 21 6.2 µg/L Sodium 2 5.18 5.1 5.2 5.15 mg/L Sulphate 2 1.23 1.2 1.3 1.25 mg/L Temperature 335 23.59 18 28 23 °C Thermotolerant coliforms 29 23.38 <1 310 0 CFU/100mL TN (Low Level) 133 0.23 0.1 1.4 0.22 mg/L N Total Oxidised Nitrogen (TON) 138 0.02 <0.01 0.1 0.02 mg/L N

Total Alkalinity 63 9.66 7.5 21 9.1 mg CaCO³/ L Total coliforms 80 5583.13 500 44000 3100 CFU/100mL

Total Dissolved Salts (calc) 2 31.56 32 32 32 mg/L

Total Hardness 2 8.48 8 8.9 8.45 mg CaCO³/ L

*Total Nitrogen (TN) 1 1.43 1.4 1.4 1.4 mg/L N

*Total Nitrogen 2 0.19 0.12 0.26 0.19

*Total Nitrogen 22 0.22 0.16 0.37 0.195 mg/L

Result Name

Number of Tests Average Minimum Maximum Median Units

*Total Phosphorus 2 0.01 0.008 0.01 0.009

*Total Phosphorus 22 0.01 0.006 0.017 0.009 mg/L

Total Sulphide 12 0.00 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 mg/L

Total Phosphorus (TP) (Low Level) 134 0.01 <0.02 0.14 0 mg/L P

True Colour 2 80.99 13 150 81.5 Pt/Co units Turbidity 190 3.50 0.5 180 2 NTU

Blue Green Algae Monitoring

Aphanocapsa (Cyan) 3 6066.67 600 16800 800 Cells/mL Chlorophyta 48 4267.50 280 26000 2400 Cells/mL Chrysosporum sp. (Cyanophyta) 1 140.00 140 140 140 Cells/mL

Cryptophyta (Cryptophytes) 2 3720.00 640 6800 3720 Cells/mL Cyanogranis (Cyanophyta) 43 4027.91 200 27600 1800 Cells/mL

Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) 46 1005.54 55 4400 680 Cells/mL

No Cyanophyta Detected 4 Not detected Cells/mL 30 29.5 mg/L

Planktolyngbya sp 12 460.00 20 1200 400 Cells/mL Pseudanabaena (Cyanophyta) 1 210.00 210 210 210 Cells/mL

Total Cyanophyta 44 4484.55 20 27600 2200 Cells/mL

Total Potentially Toxic Cyanophyta 44 Not detected Cells/mL Cells/mL

FISHERY FALLS

Result Name

Number of Tests

Average

Minimum

Maximum Median Units

Apparent Colour 23 7.70 5.3 22 6.9 Pt/Co units

Calcium 4 1.33 1.1 1.8 1.25 mg/L Chloride 4 6.64 6.3 7.1 6.6 mg/L

Confirmed Cryptosporidium 11 0.09 1 1 0 (oo)cyst/10L Confirmed Giardia 11 0.18 1 1 0 (oo)cyst/10L

E coli 32 371.78 15 8400 59 CFU/100mL

Electrical Conductance 4 43.95 40 46 45 µS/cm Fluoride 4 0.03 0.02 0.03 0.03 mg/L

Heterotrophic Plate Count 14 362.14 190 910 315 CFU/mL ICPOES Iron 4 0.26 0.025 0.925 0.0265 mg/L

ICPOES Manganese 4 0.01 <0.002 0.047 0.001 mg/L

ICPOES Silicon 4 16.64 16 18 16.5 mg/ L SiO²

Magnesium 4 1.00 0.86 1.2 0.965 mg/L pH 4 7.37 7.3 7.4 7.4

Potassium 4 0.89 0.76 1.2 0.805 mg/L

Presumptive Cryptosporidium 11 Not detected (oo)cyst/10L Presumptive Giardia 11 Not detected mg/L Sodium 4 5.42 5.1 5.8 5.35 mg/L Sulphate 4 0.28 <1 1.6 1.35 mg/L Temperature 13 20.55 18 24 21 °C Total Alkalinity 4 9.44 8.7 10 9.5 mg CaCO3 / L

Total coliforms 19 13136.84 3000 49000 7200 CFU/100mL

Total Dissolved Salts (calc) 4 37.92 35 41 38 mg/L Total Hardness 4 7.48 6.3 9.4 7.1 mg CaCO³ / L

Total Suspended Solids 19 1.29 <1 2.4 1.3 mg/L True Colour 4 9.77 3.8 26 4.65 Pt/Co units Turbidity 32 1.97 0.1 45 0.5 NTU UVTrans @ 254nm 19 89.89 75 93 91 %

MIRIWINNI

Result Name

Number of Tests

Average

Minimum

Maximum Median Units

Apparent Colour 5 3.54 3 4.5 3.4 Pt/Co units

Calcium 5 0.49 0.43 0.53 0.5 mg/L

Chloride 5 4.88 4.7 5.3 4.8 mg/L

Confirmed Cryptosporidium 12 0.08 1 1 0 (oo)cyst/10L

Confirmed Giardia 12 0.33 1 2 0 (oo)cyst/10L

E coli 14 197.43 54 310 195 CFU/100mL

Electrical Conductance 5 28.53 27 29 29 µS/cm

Fluoride 5 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 mg/L

ICPOES Iron 5 0.01 <0.010 0.019 0.01 mg/L

ICPOES Manganese 5 0.00 <0.002 0.003 0 mg/L

ICPOES Silicon 5 13.71 11 17 13 mg/ L SiO² Magnesium 5 0.30 0.27 0.32 0.3 mg/L

pH 5 7.10 7 7.2 7.1

Potassium 5 0.86 0.82 0.89 0.87 mg/L

Presumptive Cryptosporidium 12 Not detected (oo)cyst/10L

Presumptive Giardia 12 Not detected (oo)cyst/10L

Sodium 5 4.02 3.5 4.6 4 mg/L

Sulphate 5 0.94 <1 <1 0 mg/L Temperature 14 20.67 18 22 21 °C

Total Alkalinity 5 5.65 5.1 6.7 5.3 mg CaCO³ / L

Total Dissolved Salts (calc) 5 28.61 25 33 28 mg/L

Total Hardness 5 2.45 2.2 2.5 2.5 mg CaCO³ / L

True Colour 5 2.41 1.7 3.2 2.6 Pt/Co units Turbidity 14 0.40 0.1 1.5 0.25 NTU

MOUNTAIN VIEW

Result Name

Number of Tests Average

Minimum Maximum Median Units

Apparent Colour 4 13.89 4 38 6.7 Pt/Co units

Calcium 4 3.31 2.8 3.8 3.3 mg/L Chloride 4 6.16 5.8 6.5 6.15 mg/L

Confirmed Cryptosporidium 11 Not detected (oo)cyst/10L Confirmed Giardia 11 0.73 1 2 0 (oo)cyst/10L

E coli 12 677.17 33 5500 145 CFU/100mL

Electrical Conductance 4 58.96 53 63 59.5 µS/cm Fluoride 4 0.04 0.03 0.04 0.035 mg/L

ICPOES Iron 4 0.13 0.054 0.309 0.0845 mg/L

ICPOES Manganese 4 0.01 0.004 0.04 0.007 mg/L

ICPOES Silicon 4 17.38 16 19 17.5 mg/ L SiO² Magnesium 4 1.00 0.84 1.1 1.01 mg/L pH 4 7.45 7.4 7.5 7.45 Potassium 4 1.11 0.89 1.6 0.96 mg/L

Presumptive Cryptosporidium 11 Not detected (oo)cyst/10L Presumptive Giardia 11 0.09 1 1 0 (oo)cyst/10L Sodium 4 5.83 5.5 6.2 5.8 mg/L Sulphate 4 1.24 <1 1.7 1.35 mg/L Temperature 12 22.31 18 26 22.5 °C

Total Alkalinity 4 18.65 16 22 18.5 mg CaCO³ / L

Total Dissolved Salts (calc) 4 47.26 44 51 47 mg/L

Total Hardness 4 12.32 10 14 12.5 mg CaCO³ / L

True Colour 4 6.37 2.5 14 4.75 Pt/Co units Turbidity 12 2.02 0.3 12 0.8 NTU

ORCHID VALLEY

Result Name

Number of Tests

Average

Minimum

Maximum Median Units

Apparent Colour 4 6.60 4 11 5.8 Pt/Co units

Calcium 4 2.73 2.4 3.1 2.7 mg/L Chloride 4 6.15 5.4 7.2 6 mg/L

Confirmed Cryptosporidium 12 0.17 1 1 0 (oo)cyst/10L

Confirmed Giardia 12 0.33 1 2 0 (oo)cyst/10L

E coli 12 325.58 34 1400 79 CFU/100mL

Electrical Conductance 4 52.68 49 57 52.5 µS/cm Fluoride 4 0.03 0.03 0.04 0.03 mg/L

ICPOES Iron 4 0.06 0.041 0.075 0.0525 mg/L ICPOES Manganese 4 0.00 0.003 0.007 0.004 mg/L

ICPOES Silicon 4 16.96 16 19 16.5 mg/ L SiO² Magnesium 4 0.74 0.65 0.8 0.76 mg/L pH 4 7.46 7.4 7.5 7.5 Potassium 4 1.02 0.92 1.2 0.965 mg/L

Presumptive Cryptosporidium 12 Not detected (oo)cyst/10L Presumptive Giardia 12 0.17 1 1 0 (oo)cyst/10L Sodium 4 5.49 5.2 6 5.4 mg/L Sulphate 4 1.49 1.1 2.2 1.3 mg/L Temperature 12 21.88 18 26 22 °C

Total Alkalinity 4 15.74 15 17 15.5 mg CaCO³ / L Total Dissolved Salts (calc) 4 44.04 42 47 43 mg/L

Total Hardness 4 9.86 8.7 11 9.75 mg CaCO³ / L

True Colour 4 4.51 2.5 7.3 4.15 Pt/Co units Turbidity 12 1.08 0.2 3.6 0.65 NTU

TREATED WATER

To check that treatment of source water from the environment is effective and that reservoirs, distribution mains and reticulation pipes keep water safe for consumption, Council monitors the quality of treated water with a comprehensive Verification Monitoring Program (VMP). This testing is the final check to ensure barriers and preventive measures used to protect public health are performing effectively.

Verification monitoring is conducted by the NATA accredited Cairns Regional Council Water and Resource Recovery Laboratory at dedicated sampling points located at treatment sites, major reservoirs and within the reticulation network.

Table 13 below provides a schedule of Council’s VMP. This is not an exhaustive list; complete details of all results are provided in summary charts and tables for verification monitoring in the sections below including: Performance against the Verification Monitoring Program; Microbiological pathogens; Overall assessment; and Summary Verification Monitoring Program.

Table 12: General summary of Verification Monitoring Program.

System Component

Parameter Monitored

Alkalinity* Chlorine (free & total) Colour E. coli and total coliforms Electrical Conductivity* Heterotrophic plate count pH Temperature Turbidity

Reticulation network

Reservoirs

Frequency of Monitoring

Weekly Aluminium Copper Iron Lead Manganese Monthly Ammonia Nitrate Nitrite Chloride Sodium Total dissolved salts (calc) Sulphate Zinc Total Trihalomethanes

Six monthly *

Alkalinity Chlorine (free & total) E. coli and total coliforms Heterotrophic plate count pH Temperature Colour* Turbidity* Aluminium* Copper* Iron* Manganese*

Weekly Chlorite Naegleria Total Trihalomethanes Monthly*

*at selected site/s

Cairns

PERFORMANCE AGAINST THE VERIFICATION MONITORING PROGRAM

Table 13 below shows a summary of the water quality tests conducted under Council’s VMP, indicating the number required as per Council’s DWQMP, the actual number of tests conducted and whether there were any noncompliances with the ADWG aesthetic or health guideline values. Comments have been provided in the table where non-compliances occurred.

Although every effort is made to strictly adhere to the VMP, circumstances occasionally prevent samples being collected, in these instances a “no-sample” is reported by the Laboratory. The VMP has been designed to give a degree of flexibility and allow for a number of nosamples in each scheme per year. Council has Business Continuity Plans in place to ensure that it can maintain essential services during periods of interruption. At certain times a reduced VMP may need to be implemented, it is important however to maintain sufficient testing to firstly protect public health and secondly to meet regulatory requirements.

Any reduced monitoring is approved through management team and if significant change or there is a possibility the minimum requirement under the Public Health regulation may not be met Council would liaise with Queensland Health to agree upon an acceptable modified short-term sampling program.

In cases where more samples have been collected than required, this can be due to discrepancies in the timing when samples are collected versus the financial year reporting format. In some cases, duplicate samples are collected by the laboratory for quality control and statistical analysis purposes. For parameters where there is no ‘Number required as per Verification Monitoring Program’ specified, these are generally supplementary tests conducted as a result of another test. For example, dissolved metals are usually only tested when total metals results require further investigation.

Table 13: Performance against Verification Monitoring Program

Scheme Parameter

Number of samples planned to be collected as per DWQMP

Actual Number Collected

ADWG Guideline Value

Number Noncompliant Comments

Apparent Colour 104 104 ≤ 15.0 Pt/Co units 0 E coli 104 105 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0 Free Chlorine 104 105 ≤ 5.0 mg/L 0

Heterotrophic Plate Count 104 104

ICPMS Aluminium 26 27 ≤ 0.2 mg/L 0

ICPMS Copper 26 27 ≤ 1.0 mg/L 0

Babinda

ICPMS Iron 26 27 ≤ 0.3 mg/L 0

ICPMS Lead 26 27 ≤ 0.01 mg/L 0

ICPMS Manganese 26 27 ≤ 0.1 mg/L 0 pH 104 104 6.5 - 8.5 0 Temperature 104 105 Total Chlorine 104 105 Total Coliforms 104 105 Turbidity 104 104 ≤ 5 NTU 0

Scheme Parameter

Number of samples planned to be collected as per DWQMP

Actual Number Collected

Apparent Colour 104 103

ADWG Guideline Value

Number Noncompliant Comments

≤ 15.0 Pt/Co units 0

E coli 104 105 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0

Free Chlorine 104 105 ≤ 5.0 mg/L 0

Heterotrophic Plate Count 104 103

ICPMS Aluminium 26 26 ≤ 0.2 mg/L 0

ICPMS Copper 26 26 ≤ 1.0 mg/L 0

Bartle Frere

ICPMS Iron 26 26 ≤ 0.3 mg/L 0

ICPMS Lead 26 26 ≤ 0.01 mg/L 0

ICPMS Manganese 26 26 ≤ 0.1 mg/L 0

pH 104 103 6.5 - 8.5 0

Temperature 104 105

Total Chlorine 104 105

Total Coliforms 104 105

Turbidity 104 103 ≤ 5 NTU 0

Scheme Parameter

Number of samples planned to be collected as per DWQMP

Actual Number Collected

ADWG Guideline Value

Number Noncompliant Comments

Apparent Colour 52 56 ≤ 15.0 Pt/Co units 0

E coli 52 57 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0

Free Chlorine 52 57 ≤ 5.0 mg/L 0

Heterotrophic Plate Count 52 56

ICPMS Aluminium 13 13 ≤ 0.2 mg/L 0

ICPMS Copper 13 13 ≤ 1.0 mg/L 0

ICPMS Iron 13 13 ≤ 0.3 mg/L 0

Bellenden Ker

ICPMS Lead 13 13 ≤ 0.01 mg/L 0

ICPMS Manganese 13 13 ≤ 0.1 mg/L 0

pH 52 56 6.5 - 8.5 36

Temperature 52 57

Total Chlorine 52 57

Total Coliforms 52 57

Turbidity 52 56 ≤ 5 NTU 0

Aesthetic exceedances are associated with an interaction between the water and cement lined pipes in the reticulation network. Alkaline water above a pH of 8 can impair the efficiency of chlorine disinfection. Council closely monitor disinfection performance through testing microbial indicators to ensure the effectiveness of chlorine is not compromised by elevated pH.

Scheme Parameter

Amoeba - Naegleria

Number of samples planned to be collected as per DWQMP

Actual Number Collected

ADWG Guideline Value

Number Noncompliant Comments

Bramston Beach

Amoeba - Thermophilic Amoeba 13 12

Amoeba speciationNaegleria fowleri

Amoeba speciationNaegleria spp

Apparent Colour 52 51 ≤ 15.0 Pt/Co units 0 E coli 52 52 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0

Free Chlorine 52 52 ≤ 5.0 mg/L 0

Heterotrophic Plate Count 52 51

ICPMS

Naegleria testing is completed every four weeks at one site in the Bramston Beach scheme. Naegleria testing involves firstly testing for the presence of Thermophilic Amoeba in a sample. If Thermophilic Ameoba are detected, further testing is done on the sample to determine if certain species are present; Naegleria fowleri and/or Naegleria spp. The 12 samples collected and tested for ‘Amoeba - Thermophilic Amoeba’ indicate the total number of samples collected under Naegleria testing. No samples detected Thermophilic Amoeba and therefore no further testing was required for speciation.

Naegleria testing is completed every four weeks at six sites in the Copperlode/Behana scheme. Naegleria testing involves firstly testing for the presence of Thermophilic Amoeba in a sample. If Thermophilic Ameoba are detected, further testing is done on the sample to determine if certain species are present; Naegleria fowleri and/or Naegleria spp. The 78 samples collected and tested for ‘Amoeba - Thermophilic Amoeba’ indicate the total number of samples collected under Naegleria testing. Of these, seven returned detections of Thermophilic Amoeba, reported as ‘Amoeba - Naegleria’. Out of the seven positive detections, Naegleria spp was detected in five samples. Naegleria fowleri was not detected in any samples.

Scheme Parameter

Number of samples planned to be collected as per DWQMP

Actual Number Collected

ADWG Guideline Value

Number Noncompliant Comments

Apparent Colour 1417 1538 <= 15.0 Pt/Co units 0

Bromodichloromethane 147

Bromoform 147

Chlorate 11

Chloride 2 4 <= 250.0 mg/L 0

Chlorite 143 143 <= 0.8 mg/L 0

Chloroform 147

Dibromochloromethane 147

E. coli 2093 2211 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0

Electrical Conductance 52 52

CopperlodeBehana

Free Chlorine 2093 2210 <= 5.0 mg/L 2

There were two exceedances of the health guideline value however neither of them were genuine exceedances impacting the water supply:

Result of 7.9mg/L measured at Draper Road Reservoir on 18 May 2021. This result was investigated finding it was not representative of the chlorine concentration in the reservoir nor reticulation network. An instrument fault caused concentrated chlorine solution to flow into the sampling line.

Result of 5.6mg/L measured at Forest Gardens - Monsoon Terrace on 25 May 2021. This result was investigated finding it was caused by sampler error. Re-sampling verified there was no excess chlorine in the system - see section ‘Notifying the Regulator’.

Heterotrophic Plate Count 2093 2182

ICPMS Aluminium 585 626 <= 0.2 mg/L 1

ICPMS Copper 589 630 <= 1.0 mg/L 0

ICPMS Iron 585 626 <= 0.3 mg/L 2

There was one exceedance of the aesthetic guideline value: Result of 0.22mg/L measured at Trinity Park - 86 Roberts Dr on 3 November 2020. See investigation findings in Turbidity parameter further down in this table.

There were two aesthetic exceedances in the reporting period:

1. Result of 0.34mg/L measured at Trinity Park - 86 Roberts Dr on 3 November 2020. See investigation findings in Turbidity parameter further down in this table.

2. Result of 1.37mg/L measured at Portsmith - Fearnley St on 4 January 2021.

ICPMS Lead 537 580 <= 0.01 mg/L 0

There were two aesthetic exceedances in the reporting period listed below. There were no exceedances of the health guideline value of <0.5mg/L.

ICPMS Manganese 585 626 <= 0.1 mg/L 2

1. Result of 0.11162mg/L measured at Parramatta Park - Newton St. Pump Station on 9 March 2021.

2. Result of 0.12247mg/L measured at Trinity Park - 86 Roberts Dr on 3 November 2020. See investigation findings in Turbidity parameter further down in this table.

ICPMS Zinc 4 4 <= 3.0 mg/L 0

Scheme Parameter

ICPOES Silicon 4 Nitrate 4 4 < 50 mg/L 0 Nitrite 4 4 < 3 mg/L 0 pH 2093 2183 6.5 - 8.5 . 41

These exceedances indicate results outside of the aesthetic guideline of 6.58.5 pH values. Of these exceedances, 72% occurred at Aloomba - Sports Centre throughout the year consisting of results from pH 8.5 to 9.1. At this site, higher pH is associated with an interaction between the water and cement lined pipes in the reticulation network. Six exceedances of pH 8.5-8.7 occurred at Palm Cove Reservoir in May-June 2021, and the remaining exceedances occurred at various sites in the region as “one-off” occasions in April-June 2021.

Reason for No Sample 17

CopperlodeBehana

Total Chlorine 2093 2210 ≤ 5.0 mg/L 2

There were two exceedances of the health guideline value however neither of them were genuine exceedances impacting the water supply:

Result of 8.3mg/L measured at Draper Road Reservoir on 18 May 2021. This result was investigated finding it was not representative of the chlorine concentration in the reservoir nor reticulation network. An instrument fault caused concentrated chlorine solution to flow into the sampling line.

Result of 5.9mg/L measured at Forest Gardens - Monsoon Terrace on 25 May 2021. This result was investigated finding it was caused by sampler error. Resampling verified there was no excess chlorine in the system.

Result of 37Pt/Co Apparent Colour measured at Portsmith - Fearnley St on 4 January 2021 then tested True colour returning 30 Pt/Co, exceeding the aesthetic guideline. Turbidity

Result of 10.18NTU at Trinity Park - 86 Roberts Dr on 3 November 2020, exceeding the aesthetic guideline. This was investigated in conjunction with the aesthetic aluminium, manganese and iron exceedances in the same sample on this date. Colour was also elevated for the site but did not exceed the aesthetic guideline value. Customer complaints could be observed relating to dirty/coloured water around this time. There were several conclusions from the investigation, the key findings attributing the dirty water to a high number of water trucks drawing water from the system during this period as well as an increase in customer water demand at the end of the dry season.

Scheme Parameter

Number of samples planned to be collected as per DWQMP

Actual Number Collected

Apparent Colour 52 53

ADWG Guideline Value

Number Noncompliant Comments

≤ 15.0 Pt/Co units 0

E coli 52 62 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0

Free Chlorine 52 64 ≤ 5.0 mg/L 0

Heterotrophic Plate Count 52 58

ICPMS Aluminium 13 12 ≤ 0.2 mg/L 0

ICPMS Copper 13 12 ≤ 1.0 mg/L 0

Fishery Falls

ICPMS Iron 13 12 ≤ 0.3 mg/L 0

ICPMS Lead 13 12 ≤ 0.01 mg/L 0

ICPMS Manganese 13 12 ≤ 0.1 mg/L 0

pH 52 53 6.5 - 8.5 0

Temperature 52 64

Total Chlorine 52 64

Total Coliforms 52 64

Turbidity 52 42 ≤ 5 NTU 0

Scheme Parameter

Number of samples planned to be collected as per DWQMP

Actual Number Collected

ADWG Guideline Value

Number Noncompliant Comments

Apparent Colour 52 52 ≤ 15.0 Pt/Co units 0

E coli 52 54 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0

Free Chlorine 52 53 ≤ 5.0 mg/L 0

Heterotrophic Plate Count 52 52

ICPMS Aluminium 13 13 ≤ 0.2 mg/L 0

ICPMS Copper 13 13 ≤ 1.0 mg/L 0

Miriwinni

ICPMS Iron 13 13 ≤ 0.3 mg/L 0

ICPMS Lead 13 13 ≤ 0.01 mg/L 0

ICPMS Manganese 13 13 ≤ 0.1 mg/L 0

pH 52 52 6.5 - 8.5 0

Temperature 52 53

Total Chlorine 52 53

Total Coliforms 52 53

Turbidity 52 52 ≤ 5 NTU 0

Scheme Parameter

Number

Mountain View

Apparent Colour 52 52

≤15.0 Pt/Co units 0

E coli 52 53 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0

Free Chlorine 52 53 ≤ 5.0 mg/L 0

Heterotrophic Plate Count 52 52

ICPMS Aluminium 13 13 ≤ 0.2 mg/L 0

ICPMS Copper 13 13 ≤ 1.0 mg/L 0

ICPMS Iron 13 13 ≤ 0.3 mg/L 0

ICPMS Lead 13 13 ≤ 0.01 mg/L 0

ICPMS Manganese 13 13 ≤ 0.1 mg/L 0

pH 52 52 6.5 - 8.5 0

Temperature 52 53

Total Chlorine 52 53 Total coliforms 52 53

Turbidity 52 52 ≤ 5 NTU 0

Scheme Parameter

Orchid Valley

Number of samples planned to be collected as per DWQMP

Actual Number Collected

ADWG Guideline Value

Number Noncompliant Comments

Apparent Colour 52 52 ≤15.0 Pt/Co units 1

E coli 52 53 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0

Free Chlorine 52 53 ≤ 5.0 mg/L 0

Heterotrophic Plate Count 52 52

ICPMS Aluminium 13 12 ≤ 0.2 mg/L 0

ICPMS Copper 13 12 ≤ 1.0 mg/L 0

ICPMS Iron 13 12 ≤ 0.3 mg/L 0

ICPMS Lead 13 12 ≤ 0.01 mg/L 0

ICPMS Manganese 13 12 ≤ 0.1 mg/L 0

pH 52 52 6.5 - 8.5 0

Reason for No Sample 17

Temperature 52 53

Total Chlorine 52 53

Total Coliforms 52 39

Turbidity 52 52 ≤ 5 NTU 1

One result of 17.68 Pt/Co exceeding the aesthetic maximum of 15.0 Pt/Co on 26 August 2020. This result was investigated for possible causes and none could be found – there had been no change to raw water profile nor any changes or issues with the treatment process. Extra follow up samples were taken with no further exceedances.

One result of 7.90 NTU exceeding the aesthetic maximum limit of 5 NTU on 26 August 2020. This result was investigated for possible causes and none could be found – there had been no change to raw water profile nor any changes or issues with the treatment process. Extra follow up samples were taken with no further exceedances.

MICROBIOLOGICAL PATHOGENS RESULTS

As detailed in the Queensland Public Health Regulation 2018 section 52, the standard for drinking water in Queensland requires no Escherichia coli is detected in a sample of a minimum of 100mL of drinking water, and, Escherichia coli must not be detected in at least 98% of the samples from the past 12 months. E. coli compliance details for each drinking water supply scheme are provided in Table 15 below, including the month-by-month performance for each scheme in Tables 16-24.

Table 15: E. coli Performance Assessment

Zone No. samples required a year as per Public Health Regulation 2018 No. of samples collected in previous 12 months % of Samples that meet health guideline values

Data sourced from CRC Laboratory database.

No. of samples collected in which E. coli is detected (i.e. a failure)

Compliance with 98% annual value

Drinking water scheme: BARTLE FRERE

Year 2020-21 Month

No. of samples collected

No. of samples collected in which E. coli is detected (i.e. a failure) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

No. of samples collected in previous 12 month period 107 106 108 105 105 105 105 106 112 113 115 112

No. of failures for previous 12 month period 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

% of samples that comply in previous 12 month period 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Compliance with 98% annual value

Drinking water scheme: BABINDA

Year 2020-21 Month

No. of samples collected

No. of samples collected in which E. coli is detected (i.e. a failure) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

in

12 month period

No. of failures for previous 12 month period 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

% of samples that comply in previous 12 month period 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Compliance with 98% annual value

Table 17: Bartle Frere E. coli Monitoring Results

Table 19: Bellenden Ker E. coli Monitoring Results

Drinking water scheme: BELLENDEN KER

Year 2020-21

Month

No. of samples collected 5 6 5 4 5 5 4 4 5 4 5 5

No. of samples collected in which E. coli is detected (i.e. a failure) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

No. of samples collected in previous 12 month period 54 56 57 56 57 56 56 56 56 56 57 57

No. of failures for previous 12 month period 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

% of samples that comply in previous 12 month period 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Compliance with 98%

value

Results

Year 2020-21

Month

No.

No. of samples collected in which E. coli is detected (i.e. a failure) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

No. of samples collected in previous 12 month period 54 54 56 55 55 55 55 55 56 55 54 53 No. of failures for previous 12 month period 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

% of samples that comply in previous 12 month period 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Compliance with 98% annual value

Table 21: Fishery Falls E. coli Monitoring Results

Drinking water scheme: FISHERY FALLS

Year 2020-21

Month

No. of samples collected 4 4 5 4 4 5 4 5 11 5 6 7

No. of samples collected in which E. coli is detected (i.e. a failure) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

of samples collected in

12 month period

No. of failures for previous 12 month period 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

% of samples that comply in previous 12 month period 98.1% 98.1% 98.1% 98.1% 98.1% 98.1% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Compliance with 98% annual value

Table 20: Bramston Beach E. coli Monitoring

Drinking water scheme: BRAMSTON BEACH

Table 22: Mirriwinni E. coli Monitoring Results

Drinking water scheme: MIRRIWINNI

Year 2020-21

Month

No.

No. of samples collected in which E. coli is detected (i.e. a failure) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

No. of samples collected in previous 12 month period 53 53 54 53 52 54 54 54 54 54 55 54

No. of failures for previous 12 month period 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

% of samples that comply in previous 12 month period 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Compliance with 98% annual value

Table 23: Mountain View E. coli Monitoring Results

Drinking

Year 2020-21

Month

No.

No. of samples collected in which E. coli is detected (i.e. a failure) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

No. of samples collected in previous 12 month period 53 53 54 53 54 53 52 52 53 53 53 53

No. of failures for previous 12 month period 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

% of samples that comply in previous 12 month period 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Compliance with 98% annual value

Table 24: Orchid Valley E. coli Monitoring Results

Drinking water scheme: ORCHID VALLEY Year 2020-21

Month

No.

collected in which E. coli is detected (i.e. a failure) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

of samples collected in previous 12 month period

No. of failures for previous 12 month period 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

% of samples that comply in previous 12 month period 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Compliance with 98% annual value

water scheme: MOUNTAIN VIEW

Council’s risk management approach identifies substances that may be present and may pose a risk to public health or influence optimal water quality characteristics. Council’s Verification Monitoring Program checks and analyses these substances, which are routinely trended and assessed against ADWG health-related and aesthetic limits.

AESTHETIC ASSESSMENT

The Verification Monitoring Program underpins Council’s ability to confirm the supply of safe drinking water to our customers. We take advantage of the program to assess non-health related parameters that contribute to the way the water tastes, smells and appears. These aesthetic guideline values are treated as quality triggers to identify improvement opportunities.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT RESULTS GRAPHS

Trends results for this year’s performance are shown in the following diagrams. A full summary of results for the VMP are shown in the tables for each scheme in section Verification Monitoring Program Results Summary Statistics. An incident investigation is undertaken when testing identifies drinking water quality does not meet ADWG health guideline values, a critical control limit is breached or there is concern regarding public health for any other reason.

Figure 2: Turbidity Treated Water Reticulation graph

The ADWG aesthetic value for turbidity is 5 NTU. Two tests exceeded the guideline value, which is a decrease of 4 from 2019/2020. There is no health guideline value for turbidity. The exceedances are discussed in more detail in Table 14 for Copperlode/Behana and Orchid Valley.

Figure 3: pH Treated Water Reticulation graph

Figure 4: pH Treated Water Reservoirs graph

The ADWG aesthetic value range for pH is 6.5 – 8.5. However, excursions do occur with values outside this range as shown in Figures 3 and 4. There is no health guideline value for pH, although the ADWG identifies that values <4 and >11 may adversely affect health. While most test results are within the guideline range a number of results above the 8.5 aesthetic limit are likely to result from an interaction between the water and cement lined pipes in the reticulation network. Alkaline water above a pH of 8 can impair the efficiency of chlorine disinfection. Council closely monitor disinfection performance through testing microbial indicators to ensure the effectiveness of chlorine is not compromised by elevated pH

Figure 5: Chlorine (Free & Total) Treated Water Reticulation graph

Figure 6: Chlorine (Free & Total) Treated Water Reservoirs graph

Chlorine is used to disinfect water to control pathogens. The ADWG health value is 5 mg/L for total chlorine. There were two instances where total chlorine exceeded however one event was found to be anomalous and the other not affecting the water supply, hence all samples were effectively compliant when these instances are removed. Free chlorine also exceeded during these instances, hence why 2 points can be seen above the guideline value in each of the Figures 5 and 6. See Table 14 Copperlode/Behana scheme and section Notifying the Regulator for more information on the exceedances.

Figure 7: Temperature Treated Water Reticulation & Reservoirs graph

The ADWG contain no guideline limit for temperature. Temperatures range to greater values in the reticulation system compared to reservoirs, and waters naturally increase in temperature over the summer period.

Figure 8: Aluminium Treated Water Reticulation graph

The ADWG aesthetic value for aluminium is 0.2 mg/L. One result exceeded this limit throughout the year as shown in Figure 8. There is no health guideline value for aluminium. See Table 14 Copperlode/Behana for more information.

Figure 9: Copper Treated Water Reticulation graph

The ADWG aesthetic value for copper is 1 mg/L and health value is 2 mg/L. Drinking water supplies remained within this specification throughout the year as shown in Figure 9.

Figure 10: Iron Treated Water Reticulation graph

The ADWG aesthetic value for iron is 0.3 mg/L. There were two exceedances of this value in the year as shown in Figure 10, refer to Table 14 Copperlode/Behana for more information. There is no health guideline value for iron.

Figure 11: Lead Treated Water Reticulation graph

The ADWG health value for lead is 0.01 mg/L. All verification monitoring samples were less than the guideline value for the reporting period as per Figure 11.

Figure 12: Manganese Treated Water Reticulation graph

The ADWG aesthetic value for manganese is 0.1 mg/L. There were two exceedances of this value in the year as shown in Figure 12, refer to Table 14 Copperlode/Behana for more information. The health guideline value for manganese is 0.5 mg/L and no results exceeded this value.

VERIFICATION MONITORING PROGRAM RESULTS SUMMARY STATISTICS

Note: ‘Not detected’ and ‘less than’ results have been replaced with zero prior to calculation of averages. This is because whole numbers are required for calculating averages.

Table

BABINDA

E coli 104 0.00 <1 <1 <1 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0 CFU/100mL Free Chlorine 104 0.55 <0.1 1.6 0.605 <= 5.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

Heterotrophic Plate Count 102 2.06 <10 20 0 0 CFU/mL

ICPMS Aluminium 24 0.03 <0.015 0.035 0.0255 <= 0.2 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Copper 24 0.01 0.003 0.015 0.007 <= 1.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Iron 24 0.02 0.013 0.037 0.025 <= 0.3 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Lead 24 0.00 0.0005 0.0012 0.00065 <= 0.01 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Manganese 24 0.00 0.0002 0.0018 0.00065 <= 0.1 mg/L 0 mg/L pH 103 7.59 7.3 8.4 7.5 6.5 - 8.5 0

Temperature 104 25.96 22 29 26 0 °C

Total Chlorine 104 0.62 <0.1 1.6 0.69 0 mg/L

Total coliforms 104 0.00 <1 <1 <1 0 CFU/100mL

Turbidity 103 0.26 0.1 0.9 0.2 <= 5 NTU 0 NTU Table 26:

BELLENDEN KER

Apparent Colour 56 0.52 <1 2 0 <= 15.0 Pt/Co units 0 Pt/Co units

E coli 57 0.00 <1 <1 <1 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0 CFU/100mL

Free Chlorine 58 0.75 <0.02 1.4 0.845 < 5.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

Heterotrophic Plate Count 55 1.09 <10 20 0 0 CFU/mL

ICPMS Aluminium 12 0.05 0.034 0.085 0.047 <= 0.2 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Copper 12 0.01 0.006 0.01 0.007 <= 1.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Iron 12 0.01 <0.008 <0.015 0 <= 0.3 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Lead 12 0.00 <0.0005 <0.0005 <0.0005 <= 0.01 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Manganese 12 0.00 0.0002 0.0005 0.0004 <= 0.1 mg/L 0 mg/L

pH 56 8.84 7.9 9.3 8.9 6.5 - 8.5 . 47

Temperature 57 25.92 22 30 26 0 °C

Total Chlorine 58 0.81 0.02 1.5 0.92 <= 5.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

Total coliforms 57 0.00 <1 <1 <1 0 CFU/100mL

Turbidity 56 0.17 0.1 0.5 0.2 <= 5 NTU 0 NTU

Table 28: Bramston Beach Treated Water Summary Statistics

BRAMSTON BEACH

Result Name Number of Tests Average Minimum Maximum Median ADWG Value Number of OOS results Units

Amoeba - Naegleria 1 0.00 Not Detected 0 Pt/Co units

Amoeba - Thermophilic Amoeba 12 0.00 Not Detected 0 CFU/100mL

Apparent Colour 52 0.48 <1 1.5 0 <= 15.0 Pt/Co units 0 Pt/Co units E coli 53 0.00 <1 <1 <1 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0 CFU/100mL Free Chlorine 53 0.73 0.49 0.96 0.71 <= 5.0 mg/L 0 mg/L Heterotrophic Plate Count 52 0.58 <10 <10 0 0 CFU/mL

ICPMS Aluminium 12 0.01 <0.015 0.022 0 <= 0.2 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Copper 12 0.01 0.01 0.019 0.014 <= 1.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Iron 12 0.02 0.014 0.025 0.02 <= 0.3 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Lead 12 0.00 <0.0005 0.0008 0.0006 <= 0.01 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Manganese 12 0.00 0.0002 0.0004 0.0003 <= 0.1 mg/L 0 mg/L pH 52 7.43 7.3 7.6 7.4 6.5 - 8.5 0

Temperature 53 27.08 24 30 27 0 °C

Total Chlorine 53 0.80 0.56 1 0.78 0 mg/L

Total coliforms 53 0.00 <1 <1 0 0 CFU/100mL

Turbidity 52 0.14 0.1 0.4 0.1 <= 5 NTU 0 NTU

Result Name

Number of Tests

Average Minimum Maximum Median ADWG Value Number of OOS results Units

Ammonia 2 0.00 <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 0 mg/L N Amoeba - Naegleria 6 0.00 Not Detected 0 CFU/100mL

Amoeba - Thermophilic Amoeba 78 0.00 Not Detected 0 mg/L

Amoeba speciationNaegleria fowleri 7 0.00 Not Detected 0 CFU/mL

Amoeba speciationNaegleria spp 7 0.00 0 0

Apparent Colour 1518 0.70 <1 37 0 <= 15.0 Pt/Co units 0 Pt/Co units Bromodichloromethane 145 7.32 5 16 7 0 µg/L

Bromoform 145 0.00 <5 <5 <5 0 µg/L Chlorate 22 0.23 0.113 0.334 0.241 0 mg/L Chloride 2 8.53 7.1 10 8.55 <= 250.0 mg/L 0 mg/L Chlorite 143 0.00 <0.005 0.008 0 <= 0.8 mg/L 0 mg/L Chloroform 145 28.07 8 70 23 0 µg/L Dibromochloromethane 145 0.03 <5 <5 0 0 µg/L E coli 2193 0.00 <1 <1 0 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 1 CFU/100mL

Electrical Conductance 53 58.47 54 63 58 0 µS/cm

Free Chlorine 2181 0.91 <0.1 7.9 0.86 <= 5.0 mg/L 4 mg/L

Heterotrophic Plate Count 2164 6.18 <10 9900 0 0 CFU/mL

ICPMS Aluminium 563 0.03 0.015 0.218 0.026 <= 0.2 mg/L 1 mg/L

ICPMS Aluminiumdissolved 1 0.01 <0.015 <0.015 <0.015 <= 0.2 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Copper 565 0.01 0.001 0.163 0.005 <= 1.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Copper - dissolved 1 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 <= 1.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Iron 563 0.02 0.008 1.37 0.011 <= 0.3 mg/L 2 mg/L

ICPMS Iron - dissolved 1 0.00 <0.015 <0.015 <0.015 <= 0.3 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Lead 565 0.00 <0.0005 0.0085 0 <= 0.01 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Lead - dissolved 1 0.00 <0.0005 <0.0005 <0.0005 <= 0.01 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Manganese 563 0.00 0.0002 0.122 0.001 <= 0.1 mg/L 2 mg/L

ICPMS Manganesedissolved 1 0.00 0.0002 0.0002 0.0002 <= 0.1 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Zinc 2 0.01 <0.008 0.01 0.005 <= 3.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPOES Silicon 2 7.39 7.1 7.7 7.4 0 mg/ L iO²

Nitrate 2 0.06 0.02 0.09 0.055 0 mg/L N

Nitrite 2 0.00 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 0 mg/L N

pH 2141 7.48 6.7 9.8 7.4 6.5 - 8.5 33 Sodium 2 6.31 5 7.6 6.3 <= 180.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

Sulphate 2 2.85 <1 4.8 2.4 <= 250.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

Temperature 2168 25.66 17 34 26 0 °C

TON 2 0.06 0.02 0.09 0.055 0 mg/L N

Result Name

Number of Tests

Average Minimum Maximum Median ADWG Value Number of OOS results Units

Total Alkalinity 677 8.27 4.9 15 8 0 mgCaCO³/L

Total Chlorine 2181 1.00 <0.1 8.3 0.95 1 mg/L

Total coliforms 2193 0.07 <1 >100 0 0 CFU/100mL

Total Dissolved Solids 2 33.25 28 39 33.5 <= 600 mg/L 0 mg/L

Total Trihalomethanes 145 35.43 14 81 30 <= 250.0 µg/L 0 µg/L

True Colour 1 30.33 30 30 30 <= 15.0 Pt/Co units 1 Pt/Co units Turbidity 1518 0.15 <0.1 10 0.1 <= 5 NTU 1 NTU

Table 30: Fishery Falls Treated Water Summary Statistics

FISHERY FALLS

Result Name

Number of Tests Average Minimum Maximum Median ADWG Value Number of OOS results Units

Apparent Colour 53 1.57 1 8.6 1.1 <= 15.0 Pt/Co units 0 Pt/Co units

E coli 64 0.00 <1 <1 <1 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0 CFU/100mL

Free Chlorine 64 0.64 0.15 1.3 0.625 <= 5.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

Heterotrophic Plate Count 58 1.21 <10 20 0 0 CFU/mL

ICPMS Aluminium 12 0.03 <0.015 0.058 0.0265 <= 0.2 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Copper 12 0.01 0.004 0.008 0.005 <= 1.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Iron 12 0.02 0.012 0.06 0.0175 <= 0.3 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Lead 12 0.00 <0.0005 <0.0005 <0.0005 <= 0.01 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Manganese 12 0.00 0.0002 0.0017 0.0004 <= 0.1 mg/L 0 mg/L

pH 53 7.85 7.5 8.4 7.8 6.5 - 8.5 0

Temperature 64 25.23 21 29 26 0 °C

Total Chlorine 64 0.73 0.17 1.4 0.71 0 mg/L

Total coliforms 64 0.00 <1 <1 <1 0 CFU/100mL

Turbidity 53 0.31 0.1 2 0.2 <= 5 NTU 0 NTU

Table 31: Mirriwinni Treated Water Summary Statistics

MIRRIWINNI

Result Name Number of Tests Average Minimum Maximum Median ADWG Value Number of OOS results Units

Apparent Colour 52 0.51 <1 2.9 0 <= 15.0 Pt/Co units 0 Pt/Co units

E coli 54 0.00 <1 <1 <1 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0 CFU/100mL

Free Chlorine 53 0.85 0.5 1.6 0.83 <= 5.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

Heterotrophic Plate Count 52 0.77 <10 <10 0 0 CFU/mL

ICPMS Aluminium 12 0.02 0.015 0.027 0.0155 <= 0.2 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Copper 12 0.01 0.007 0.013 0.0095 <= 1.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Iron 12 0.01 <0.008 <0.015 0 <= 0.3 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Lead 12 0.00 0.0005 0.0005 0 <= 0.01 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Manganese 12 0.00 0.0002 0.0004 0.00025 <= 0.1 mg/L 0 mg/L

pH 52 7.33 7.2 7.5 7.3 6.5 - 8.5 0 Temperature 53 24.03 20 28 24 0 °C

Total Chlorine 53 0.92 0.58 1.6 0.92 0 mg/L Total coliforms 53 0.00 <1 <1 <1 0 CFU/100mL

Turbidity 52 0.21 0.1 2.3 0.1 <= 5 NTU 0 NTU

Table 32: Mountain View Treated Water Summary Statistics

Apparent Colour 52 1.64 <1 7.3 1.2 <= 15.0 Pt/Co units 0 Pt/Co units E coli 53 0.00 <1 <1 <1 < 1.0 CFU/100mL 0 CFU/100mL

Free Chlorine 53 0.97 0.34 1.3 1 <= 5.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

Heterotrophic Plate Count 52 1.15 <10 20 0 0 CFU/mL

ICPMS Aluminium 12 0.01 <0.015 0.021 0.0075 <= 0.2 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Copper 12 0.03 0.027 0.047 0.0335 <= 1.0 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Iron 12 0.04 0.023 0.066 0.044 <= 0.3 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Lead 12 0.00 0.0005 0.0013 0.0007 <= 0.01 mg/L 0 mg/L

ICPMS Manganese 12 0.00 0.0006 0.0016 0.00095 <= 0.1 mg/L 0 mg/L pH 52 7.65 7.6 7.7 7.7 6.5 - 8.5 0 Temperature 53 26.53 22 31 27 0 °C

Total Chlorine 53 1.06 0.38 1.4 1.1 0 mg/L

Total coliforms 53 0.00 <1 <1 <1 0 CFU/100mL

Turbidity 52 0.45 0.2 2.2 0.3 <= 5 NTU 0 NTU

NOTIFYING THE REGULATOR

Under sections 102 and 102A of the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008, Council is required to immediately inform RDMW if the quality of water supplied from the drinking water service does not comply with the water quality health criteria as specified in the ADWG, or if Council becomes aware of an incident as prescribed under a regulation. Council made five notifications to RDMW during the reporting period, summarised in Tables 34-37 below.

34:

Boil Water Notice for Mirriwinni due to water shortage Scheme Mirriwinni

Parameter NR

Incident date 23/12/2020 – 31/12/2020

Regulator notified 23/12/2020 | 11:50 AM

Event description Water demand in the Mirriwinni scheme had increased to greater than the rate that water could be produced causing a decline in reservoir storage level. To avoid running out of water, production rate needed to be increased and sourcing water from neighbouring schemes was not a viable option, therefore a planned removal of bag filters from the Mirriwinni treatment system took place (pre-filtering, UV and chlorine disinfection remained in place).

Corrective and preventative actions

Table 35: E. coli incident in Trinity Park

E. coli detection in Trinity Park Scheme

A pre-cautionary Boil Water Notice was issued for the scheme on 23 December 2020 while the bag filters were not in place, though no water quality issues were identified throughout the event. Sampling in the reticulation system was conducted once the bag filters were reinstated and before the Boil Water Notice was removed to ensure E. coli met the guideline value of <1 CFU/100mL. Both samples collected met the guideline value which led to the Boil Water Notice being lifted on 31 December 2020 while Level 1 water restrictions remained in place for a period of time to prevent the issue from occurring again. Various work is underway or planned to prevent this type of event occurring in the future including leak detection, mains replacements, possible filter upgrades pending trial results, and a rural water security planning study for the future.

Copperlode/Behana

Parameter E. coli

Incident date 05/01/2021

Regulator notified 06/01/2021 | 5:08 PM

Incident description

Corrective and preventative actions

Estimated 1 CFU/100mL E. coli was detected in a routine verification monitoring sample at sampling point on Roberts Drive Trinity Park. The chlorine residual at the time of sampling was 0.73mg/L Free Chlorine and 0.78mg/L Total Chlorine and all other parameters tested were compliant.

Chlorine levels at the sampling point and the feeding reservoir were investigated finding that disinfection was normal. Potential causes such as main breaks were investigated and none found. Two follow up samples were collected on 6th and 7th January which both tested <1 CFU/100mL E. coli complying with the E. coli guideline value. Due to this no further actions were taken and it was noted the most likely cause was environmental contamination of the sample from rainfall at the time of sampling.

Table

Boil Water Notice at Mirriwinni due to water shortage event.

Boil Water Notice for Bartle Frere due to water shortage

Scheme Bartle Frere

Parameter NR

Incident date

02/03/2021 – 11/03/2021

Regulator notified 02/03/2021 | 11:11 AM

Incident description

Corrective and preventative actions

Corrective and preventative actions

The event was triggered by weather associated with Cyclone Niran which impeded water production rate by increasing raw water turbidity, in turn the increase in turbidity caused an increase in demand on the town water supply. Alongside pre-established leaks in the system and power and communication issues with SCADA due to the weather, the water reservoir dropped to critical levels and production rate needed to be increased to avoid running out of water, therefore a planned removal of bag filters took place (UV and chlorine disinfection remained in place).

A pre-cautionary Boil Water Notice was issued on 2 March 2021 for the scheme while the bag filters were not in place. A sample collected while the filters were removed found that colour and turbidity were elevated however no health guidelines were exceeded. Sampling in the reticulation system was conducted once the bag filters were reinstated and before the Boil Water Notice was removed to ensure E. coli met the guideline value of <1 CFU/100mL. Both samples collected met the guideline value which led to the Boil Water Notice being lifted on 11 March 2021. Various work is underway or planned to prevent this type of event occurring in the future including leak detection, mains replacements, possible filter upgrades pending trial results, and a rural water security planning study for the future.

A free chlorine result of 5.6mg/L (5.9mg/L total) was measured in the reticulation network at Forest GardensMonsoon Terrace verification monitoring sampling point. Chlorine concentration in the feeding reservoir where chlorine was dosed was normal in the period leading up the exceedance, though verification monitoring also detected elevated chlorine in the reservoir.

The Regulator was notified as further investigation was done to determine why the sample exceeded. The sampling site, feeding reservoir and other sites in the same reservoir catchment were tested for chlorine, finding concentrations were normal. Investigations concluded the issue was caused by faults with the use of the chlorine meter used to test the sample, therefore the elevated results were anomalous and there was no risk to public health.

Table 37: Chlorine exceedance in Forest Gardens

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Cairns Regional Council recognises the value of community engagement in building confidence in our water quality. We value customer feedback as it enables us to continuously improve our services. We recognise that customers or members of the community may need to provide feedback if a service or product fails to meet their expectations or our standards. This feedback is captured, recorded and monitored to help identify any trends and possible areas of improvement in the operation, maintenance and management of the networks.

We keep customers informed about drinking water quality by maintaining a web page that provides:

• an overview of all drinking water supply systems; and

• results of water quality test results.

• information about water service outages

The web page is available at: https://www.cairns.qld.gov. au/water-waste-roads/water-supply-and-use/sourcesand-supply

Customers can raise urgent or non-urgent problems about drinking water quality by contacting Council by phone, in person, online at: https://www.cairns.qld.gov. au/council/contact-us, or via the My Cairns app.

During 2020/2021, Council received a total of 193 complaints about water quality. Of these complaints, 65% were about colour, 26% about quality, 4% about taste, and 5% were about odour. A summary of customer complaints by category are shown in Figure 13 below.

Figure 4% 26%

COLOUR ODOUR QUALITY TASTE

CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS BY TYPE 65%

Cairns Regional Council aims to do better tomorrow what we did well today, for the DWQMS this means improvements are continually made to all assets and operation practices. Improvement opportunities are identified as a result of audits, incident reviews, research projects and benchmarking industry practice. Improvement projects agreed by the management team are recorded in the Risk Management Improvement Program (RMIP).

Improvement projects are prioritised according to risk and budget cycles. The RMIP informs the capital and operational works planning process. However, where a project is needed to manage an unforeseen serious risk, contingency funds are identified.

Cairns Regional Council

DRINKING WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

The improvement program of works undertaken on water infrastructure and the amount spent for the 2020/2021 financial year included:

• Draper Road Water Treatment Plant $4,264,850

• 2020/21 Water Main replacement program $3,380,924

• Northern Beaches trunk water main (Kamerunga Rd to Lake Placid) $3,127,016

• Freshwater Water Treatment Plant upgrade filters $3,090,512

• Freshwater Water Treatment Plant/Crystal Cascades Intake upgrade $2,227,069

• 2020/21 New revenue water meter installations $1,526,489

• White Gap No. 1 water reservoir refurbishment $1,075,141

• Redlynch Intake Road replace water main 710m x 225AC $548,069

• Currunda Creek refurbish Reservoir $539,887

• Mulgrave River Water Supply $519,388

• Janett St water reservoir refurbishment $501,191

• 2019/20 Water main replacement program $436,553

• Dillon Street and Kelly/Wilks St aerial pipe crossing remediation works $416,751

• Cairns Water Security Strategy - Overall Program Services. $356,428

• Freshwater Water Treatment Plant Clearwater Reservoir Refurbishment $302,980

• Smart Water Meters Project $278,138

• Lyons St water main renewal $257,663

Water & Waste Sodium Hypochlorite Sites remediation works $257,068

• 2020/21 Replacement of commercial water meters $232,331

• Little Spence St , Bungalow replace hot water main (845m of 100CICL) $229,376

• Water Laboratory - Supply, Delivery and Installation of Replacement of Nutrient Analyser $214,161

• Freshwater Creek Water Treatment Plant sodium hypochlorite system upgrade $175,854

• 2020/21 Water Lab replacement of equipment $164,000

• Copperlode Dam upgrade PLC $141,988

• 2020/21 Condition assessment program $124,875

• Emergency Water Supply Plan $120,710

• Stager Rd Mirriwinni replace water main 5000m x100 AC $120,450

• Freshwater Water Treatment Plant chemical dosing general $115,155

• Behana Water Treatment Plant scour upgrade $99,247

• Bartle Frere Reservoir refurbishment $91,746

• Freshwater Water Treatment Plant - Washwater and Sludge Handling Upgrade $91,523

• SCADA Upgrade and Improvement Program $81,156

• Copperlode Falls Dam raw water lift pump replacement (was originally Lake Morris Water Treatment Plant review) $59,343

• Water Lab replace Generator & Automatic Transfer Switch $57,031

• Behana Water Treatment Plant Intake handrails upgrade $53,046

• Henley’s Hill No. 5 water reservoir refurbishment $52,134

• Freshwater Water Treatment Plant service water system refurbishment $51,549

• Copperlode Dam refurb outlet butterfly and cone valves $46,103

• Edmonton West water pump station renewal $46,034

• Supply and Delivery of Metered Hydrant Standpipes $44,875

• Fishery Falls replace bag filter $44,815

• Crest Close Reservoir Refurbishment $43,821

• Mayers St Edge Hill refurbish Water Reservoir $42,638

• Mount Peter High Level Water Reservoir and associated infrastructure $42,152

• Warren Road Water pump station renewal $40,658

• Ferntree Close Water Pump Station Planning Study $38,725 2019/20 New revenue water meter installations $34,057

Bartle Frere and Bellenden Ker generator & enclosed housing structure $33,965

• Strombus Avenue, Trinity Beach Road Trunk Water Main Extension $30,050

• Trinity Beach Booster Pump System $28,937

• Slaughter Yard Creek Road, Babinda - Replacement or Relining of Water Main $28,763

• Crystal Cascades replace raw water control valve $26,966

• Russell Heads water supply improvement works $26,762

• Preparation of a Business Case for the Cairns Water Security Stage 1 (CWSS1) $25,260

• Copperlode Dam Emergency Action Plan Public Notification Solution $22,716

• Behana Water Treatment Plant Sodium Hypochlorite System upgrade $20,657

• FWTP Replace Control Room and Hallway Flooring $18,014

• Bulk water meter replacement $16,928

• Walker Road, Edmonton - Replacement of Trunk Water Main $16,735

• Auto sampler for the ICPMS $16,725

• Magazine Street New Mammoth Fans at Fitters Workshop $15,971

• Copperlode Dam valve access walkway upgrade (install stairs and handrails to Cone valve area) $13,452

Freshwater Creek Water Treatment Plant raw water main scoping study $12,611

• Bayview Water pump station pump renewal $8,687

• Park Ridge water reservoir refurbishment $8,177

• Bartle Frere Intake Weir structure design and refurbishment $7,359

• Panguna Reservoir refurbishment $6,119

• New revenue water meter installations 2018/19 $5,196

• Behana Intake communications upgrade $4,244

Ponticello Water Pump Station Renewal $4,172

Brinsmead Reservoir Renewal $2,961

• Ferntree Reservoir refurbish $2,692

• Yorkeys Knob trunk water main (DN375 McGregor Rd to Yorkeys Knob Rd) $2,063

• Runnymead Reservoir Refurbishment $1,972

• Barron View Reservoir Refurbishment $1,888

• Marinos Reservoir investigations and refurbishment $1,888

• University Water Reservoir Leak Remediation $1,615

Refurbish Henley Hill No. 4 Water Reservoir $875

• Dempsey Street Reservoir A & B Structural Assessment and Refurbishment $762

• Falcon Street (High) Reservoir Refurbishment $674

• Copperlode Dam replace seepage pipeworks $484

• Refurbish Henley Hill No.3 Water Reservoir $464

• Bayview Large Reservoir refurbish $407

• Goldsbrough Mid Reservoir Refurbishment $407

• Purchase and Installation of Source Hydrological Modelling Software $325

Freshwater Water Treatment Plant Hydroelectric System $134

DRINKING WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW

An Information Notice for the Decision to approve an amended version of Council’s approved Drinking Water Quality Management Plan dated 1 December 2020 was issued by RDMW. Under the approval, Council is required to review the plan by 30 March 2022 and every two years from that date. Council will commence the review process towards the end of 2021 into the new year and prepare an amended DWQMP where required..

DRINKING WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN AUDIT FINDINGS

Pursuant to section 108 of the Water Supply (Safety & Reliability) Act 2008, audits of the DWQMP must be undertaken by an external party with relevant qualifications at a frequency stipulated by the Regulator. Council was required to conduct an audit of the DWQMP by 30 June 2021 and this was completed from the 29th to 31st March 2021. Overall the audit found that CRC was compliant in all eleven audit topics.

The audit concluded that:

• CRC had provided accurate data to the Regulator

• CRC had complied with its obligations under the Act, Regulations and Audit Guidelines

• There was good compliance between the current version of the DWQMP and the observations made during the audit

No non-conformities with the Act and Regulation were noted during the audit. However, a number of opportunities for improvement (OFIs) were identified that may help improve efficiency, reliability or reduce the risk of future non-compliances.

Two workshops were undertaken with the CRC Drinking Water Quality Coordination Team after the audit to discuss the opportunities for improvement, how they can be addressed and documented actions moving forward to progress various recommendations where agreed. The status of the OFIs as of October 2021 are summarised as follows:

• One OFI has been actioned and closed out

• Two OFIs were considered with no further actions required at this stage

• Twelve OFIs have actions made against them to address the recommendations made in the audit as deemed appropriate and are being tracked in the Quality Systems Improvement Program.

GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS