PFAS monitoring results

We are testing for PFAS in your drinking water

We regularly test the drinking water produced by our water filtration plants for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and publish the latest results. We can reassure you that PFAS levels in all treated water samples we've tested are well below the values specified in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

Our drinking water track record

Results for Cascade and North Richmond

Results for all other water filtration plants

Historic results for North Richmond

Our drinking water track record

We're continuously reviewing and improving our practices around PFAS and drinking water.

We've been monitoring drinking water from the North Richmond Water Filtration Plant since 2019. In June and July 2024, we undertook sampling of treated water from the outlets of all our water filtration plants, and repeated sampling from the Cascade Water Filtration Plant because levels there were slightly higher than at other sites. We recently increased the frequency of monitoring the drinking water from the Cascade and North Richmond water filtration plants to weekly, and all other plants to monthly.

All results have been below the values specified by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

PFAS values specified by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) + perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) = 0.070 µg/L
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) = 0.56 µg/L

Results for Cascade and North Richmond

We've conducted weekly testing of treated water at the Cascade and North Richmond water filtration plants since 3 October 2024.
 

We'll continue to collect samples weekly at the Cascade and North Richmond water filtration plants over the holiday period. Results will be published on 10 January 2025.

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0067

0.0056

0.0003

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0061

0.0051

0.0003

North Richmond

 0.0020

 0.0032

 0.0014

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

PFAS samples for North Richmond Water Filtration Plant were collected on 2 December. Results are not available as testing did not comply with our quality control criteria. The next weekly sampling results will be published on 20 December.

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0069

0.0057

0.0003

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0079

0.0068

0.0004

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0081

0.0049

0.0002

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0083

0.0058

0.0001

North Richmond

0.0031

0.0040

0.0016

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0069

0.0084

0.0002

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0071

0.0080

0.0004

North Richmond

0.0014

0.0037

0.0012

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0098

0.0083

0.0006

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0082

0.0097

0.0005

North Richmond

0.0019

0.0034

0.0013

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0079

0.0075

0.0004

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0084

0.0068

0.0003

North Richmond

0.0019

0.0036

0.0016

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

PFAS samples for Cascade and North Richmond water filtration plants were collected on 31 October. Results are not available, as testing did not comply with our quality control criteria. The next set of sample results will be published on 15 November.

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0100

0.0109

0.0006

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0095

0.0104

0.0006

North Richmond

0.0015

0.0031

0.0014

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0084

0.0075

0.0005

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0110

0.0081

0.0005

North Richmond

0.0014

0.0034

0.0010

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0118

0.0117

0.0006

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0127

0.0147

0.0006

North Richmond

0.0013

0.0043

0.0014

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0089

0.0123

0.0004

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0091

0.0123

0.0006

North Richmond

0.0009

0.0031

0.0007

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0108

0.0133

< 0.0010

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0131

0.0139

< 0.0010

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0134

0.0130

< 0.0001

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0134

0.0143

< 0.0001

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0147

0.0191

< 0.0001

Cascade – Blackheath (duplicate sample)

0.0146

0.0160

< 0.0001

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0140

0.0179

< 0.0001

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0155

0.0136

< 0.0001

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0164

0.0142

< 0.0001

North Richmond

0.0011

0.0014

< 0.0001

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Results for all other water filtration plants

Commencing in October 2024, we increased our testing for PFAS at all our plants to monthly (except Cascade and North Richmond, which are tested weekly).
 

PFAS samples for Orchard Hills and Warragamba water filtration plants were resampled on 12 December as testing did not comply with our quality control criteria for samples collected on 2 December.

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L)

PFOA (µg/L)

Orchard HIlls

0.0006

0.0007

0.0005

Warragamba

0.0008

0.0006

0.0004

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

PFAS samples for Warragamba and Orchard Hills water filtration plants were collected on 2 December. Results are not available as testing did not comply with our quality control criteria. Resampling was conducted on 12 December.

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L)

PFOA (µg/L)

Macarthur – Appin

< 0.0001

0.0003

< 0.0001

Macarthur – Campbelltown

< 0.0001

0.0003

< 0.0001

Illawarra

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

0.0003

Nepean

< 0.0001

0.0002

< 0.0001

Prospect

0.0007

0.0008

0.0005

Woronora

< 0.0001

0.0003

< 0.0001

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

PFAS samples for Macarthur, Illawarra and Woronora water filtration plants were resampled on 19 November as testing did not comply with our quality control criteria for samples collected on 4 November.

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L)

PFOA (µg/L)

Macarthur – Appin

0.0004

0.0002

< 0.0001

Macarthur – Campbelltown

< 0.0001

0.0002

< 0.0001

Illawarra

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

0.0001

Woronora

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

PFAS samples for Macarthur, Illawarra and Woronora water filtration plants were collected on 4 November. Results are not available, as testing did not comply with our quality control criteria. The next set of sample results will be published on 29 November.

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L)

PFOA (µg/L)

Nepean

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

Orchard Hills

< 0.0001

0.0008

0.0002

Prospect

< 0.0001

0.0007

0.0002

Warragamba

< 0.0001

0.0007

0.0002

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Macarthur – Appin

< 0.0001

0.0002

< 0.0001

Macarthur – Campbelltown

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Illawarra

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

Nepean

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

Orchard Hills

< 0.0001

0.0008

< 0.0001

Prospect

< 0.0001

0.0006

0.0004

Warragamba

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

Woronora

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Water filtration plant PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

Cascade – Blackheath

0.0155

0.0136

< 0.0001

Cascade – Katoomba

0.0164

0.0142

< 0.0001

Illawarra

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

Macarthur – Appin

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

Macarthur – Campbelltown

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

Nepean

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

North Richmond

0.0011

0.0014

< 0.0001

Orchard Hills

0.0012

0.0009

< 0.0001

Prospect

< 0.0001

0.0008

< 0.0001

Warragamba

< 0.0001

0.0001

< 0.0001

Woronora

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

< 0.0001

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Historic results for North Richmond

In 2018, the community raised concerns that PFAS from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Richmond could contaminate drinking water. Our North Richmond Water Filtration Plant sources raw water from the Hawkesbury-Nepean River 13 kilometres upstream of where water from the RAAF Base drains into the river. Therefore, the low readings for North Richmond are consistent with expectations. PFAS contamination at the base is subject to its own program of ongoing monitoring and remediation. 
 

Drinking water sampling date Weather PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

14 September 2023

Dry

< 0.0020

0.0019

< 0.0010

6 November 2023

Wet

< 0.0020

0.0026

< 0.0010

15 January 2024

Wet

0.0021

0.0019

< 0.0010

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L

Drinking water sampling date Weather PFOS (µg/L) PFHxS (µg/L) PFOA (µg/L)

23 January 2019

Wet

0.0055

0.0042

0.0036

23 January 2019

Wet

0.0057

0.0042

0.0038

18 February 2019

Dry

0.0036

0.0038

0.0029

5 March 2019

Dry

0.0043

0.0037

0.0030

15 March 2019

Wet

0.0030

0.0025

0.0019

19 March 2019

Wet

0.0027

0.0028

0.0020

21 March 2019

Dry

0.0028

0.0027

0.0017

4 April 2019

Dry

0.0043

0.0031

0.0031

15 April 2019

Dry

0.0041

0.0039

0.0037

29 April 2019

Dry

0.0039

0.0036

0.0037

ADWG values: PFOS + PFHxS = 0.070 µg/L, PFOA = 0.56 µg/L