TPEHN Had put out a Media Release on Saturday 18th May

Rosebery Water Warning Ignored - Water Filter Results Show Lead From Other Area

The Tasmanian Public and Environmental Health Network are calling on the Premier Lara Giddings to urgently conduct a proper investigation into the raw drinking water supply in Rosebery.

Last year on 5th April 2012 the Toxics Heavy Metals Taskforce Tasmania sent results from Sydney Analytical Laboratory to the Department of Health & Human Service (DHHS) for tests on a kitchen bench top water filter system from a home in Rosebery. The Taskforce asked the Tasmanian Department of Health to immediately conduct the necessary investigations into the presence of metals in the Rosebery drinking water supply.

The water filter was taken from a home not in the Dalmeny and Primrose areas where the recent lead levels have been found in drinking water. The Portable Counter Top System water filter usually functional for one year became totally clogged after only eight months in use.

Isla MacGregor said that the DHHS took no action on the Taskforce’s request to do follow up investigations on these water filter results from Sydney Analytical Laboratories.

“The results from NATA accredited Sydney Analytical Laboratories showed some high levels of metals in the water filter including lead, copper, zinc and manganese.”

Cradle Mountain Water’s own website states:

Rosebery Water Treatment Plant Upgrade

Background

Currently Rosebery water supply doesn’t meet Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.  There is no treatment plant in Rosebery and is subject to high levels of tannin causing the water to appear dirty.  The water is pumped directly from the Stitt River or gravity fed from Mountain Creek subject to adequate flows.  Two dosage stations provide disinfection to remove bacteria.  Cradle Mountain Water is proceeding with a project to supply Rosebery residents with water that meets Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

“The Stitt River is known to be impacted by groundwater from Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) which is contaminated with toxic metals in addition to leachate from the water treatment ponds which were formerly tailings dams.”

“Last year the Toxic Heavy Metals Taskforce Tasmania also sent the laboratory results to Cradle Mountain Water and requested that they provide all households in Rosebery with a Domestic Reverse Osmosis water filtration system as these are the only filtration systems that can remove both soluble and insoluble metals from the drinking water in Rosebery.”

“Again no reply was received from Cradle Mountain Water. It is inexcusable that Cradle Mountain Water has taken so long to determine that lead is in the drinking water supplies in Rosebery.”

Download: Sydney Analytical Laboratory Rosebery Water filter heavy metals test results: Sydney_An._Lab__._Rosebery_Water_filter_heavy_metals_test_results___.doc