Following reports of changes in water quality across parts of Guyra, Armidale Regional Council's (ARC) Chief Officer Assets and Services, Alex Manners, has written an open letter to the community.
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In the letter he acknowledge water quality suffered in recent months from warm weather and low rainfall in the catchment serving the Guyra dams, and attempted to provide an update to what the council is doing to solve this issue.
Water treatment is guided by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG).
Council works with the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), and NSW Public Health (NSWPH) - who together regulate the state's water treatment - to ensure the guidelines are met and risks to the public are within acceptable limits.
The rise in temperatures at the end of 2023 saw Guyra water treatment operators prepare for water quality changes caused by algal blooms, in line with the ADWG and supported by DCCEEW and NSWPH.
A common occurrence in NSW and Australian dams, algal blooms can affect both taste and odour of water.
However, the age, design and condition of the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Guyra (constructed in the 1980s) requires operators to manually adjust the treatment process based on water quality being received from the Guyra dam.
"Unfortunately, the existing treatment process allowed for water with higher than usual taste and odour to enter the water reticulation system," wrote Mr Manners in the open letter.
"While the water quality was within NSWPU and ADWG limits and safe to drink, we understand that Guyra residents were impacted.
"To address this impact, local staff worked (within the limitations of the WTP) to reduce the taste and odour of the water received from the dam."
An ongoing flushing program was also conducted to expel residual water with taste and odour as quickly as possible, which can disturb particles that have settled in the pipes and in some cases across Guyra led to discolouration.
To improve the ease for treatment operators, reduce the workload and eliminate the historical manual design and components of water treatment at the Guyra plant, ARC are completing Treatment Automation works.
These works have been underway for approximately 18 months and are expected to run another two years before being fully complete.
"Please be aware that whilst these works are being undertaken, the challenges in treating water at the Guyra WTP will remain," said Mr Manners.
To report an issue, or for more information, contact council on 1300 136 833 (24 Hours) or email at council@armidale.nsw.gov.au.
