Sydney Water responds to PFAS alarm

Following recent reports regarding detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — aka ‘forever chemicals’ — in Sydney water supplies, Sydney Water has shared recent findings from its ongoing water quality testing.

Sydney Water’s Head of Laboratory Services, Julia Bartlett, confirmed that Sydney’s drinking water remains well within the stringent safety standards set by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG).

According to Bartlett, all recent water samples were significantly below the ADWG limits for PFAS. In a 7News segment that aired on 10 October, Bartlett said it was important to distinguish between untreated water sources, such as dams, and treated ones.

Sydney Water is working to reassure customers that drinking water is not the primary source of PFAS exposure, with everyday products such as sunscreen, food packaging and certain clothing more likely to contribute to PFAS levels in the environment and human exposure.

Sydney Water emphasised that the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines apply solely to water treated for human consumption, and that the water utility takes extra precautions to ensure test accuracy.

These precautions extend to water quality experts using PFAS-free personal protective equipment to conduct the tests. Additionally, they must avoid PFAS-containing products, like certain shampoos or sunscreens, for 24 hours prior to testing.

Image credit: iStock.com/Yurii Yarema