Yes there is more chlorine being added to the shire's drinking water and yes, it is not as clear as it normally is ... but rest assured the water you are receiving from the Bowra Dam meets the standards required by the NSW Department of Health.
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Manager Water & Wastewater at Nambucca Valley Council, Richard Spain, said the dam water is surface water so it looks and tastes different to the subterranean water to which residents are accustomed.
Related: It's full and it's our water supply
"There is the turbidity, which means it is not as clear as usual plus we are treating it with three times the usual level of chlorine," Mr Spain said.
"The levels of dissolved carbon are much higher and the carbon takes up the chlorine, hence we need to use more to achieve the required health standards - we are testing the water three times a week.
"Carbon levels are associated with the fact the water is exposed to the atmosphere, exposed to run-off and the catchment is vegetated - this means a higher level of organic material."
Let the water stand in a jug in the fridge overnight - the chlorine residue evaporates
- General Manager Michael Coulter
Mr Spain said residual chlorine was required by the NSW Dept of Health as an indication that pathogens had been effectively treated.
"This water is not contaminated, it's different - and it is our emergency supply ... there are many towns to the west of us for whom this is normal."
General Manager Michael Coulter said discussions regarding a filtration system for the dam had been ongoing for some months.
"The top shelf arrangement is a micro-filtration one that uses a reverse membrane technology - the capital cost of such a system is $30 million plus they have enormous running costs, it's like liquid electricity," Mr Coulter said.
"But there are various other ways to improve water quality.
"Currently we are looking at using an improved chlorine dosing system together with ultraviolet light to remove any cryptosporidium (parasitic alveolates that can cause respiratory and gastrointestinal illness)."
He said advice had been this would be adequate, especially as the dam is only used when river flows reach the 95th percentile.
The NSW Government has made a $2 million funding offer towards a treatment system.
"The quality of our bore water has never been a problem but we won't be able to use it until the river flows improve ... and for that we need rain."
He said the shire was in the lucky position of having water and that other areas had been approaching the council asking for water for use in industry (such as the Norco factory as Raleigh).
"It is certainly nice to be in a position to consider that."
* Mr Spain had no explanation regarding comments on social media the water was making some domestic pets sick.