Annual report on drinking water quality in Victoria 2017–18 Delivering quality drinking water to Victorians A Secretary’s foreword I am pleased to present the Department of Health and Human Services’ Annual report on drinking water quality in Victoria 2017–18, which provides an annual statewide perspective of drinking water quality and water fluoridation activities. Approximately 95 per cent of Victorians continue to receive the benefits of safe, good quality drinking water. This report acknowledges the considerable effort from all water agencies in achieving this. Drinking water compliance in 2017–18 remained strong, with 96 per cent of Victoria’s drinking water localities complying with drinking water quality standards at all times. This report covers the third year since the Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2015 commenced and it demonstrates the tangible benefits to Victorian communities as the legislation becomes further embedded. Of note, the introduced investigation requirements following any E. coli detection (an indicator of microbial risk) have assisted water agencies to identify and implement process and system improvements, leading to beneficial water quality outcomes. Access to safe, good quality drinking water supplies is fundamental to community health and wellbeing. The provision of drinking water allows communities, families and businesses to grow and prosper. However, meeting the Victorian community’s needs into the future with our precious water resources will continue to pose challenges, particularly as we respond to the effects of climate change, population growth and land- use intensification in water supply catchments. These impacts increase threats to water quality, including greater potential for waterborne pathogens and harmful algal blooms, and increase the frequency of water-quality incidents. We must not become complacent, as managing risk to the quality of drinking water is a continual, complex process that challenges us into the future. The safe drinking water regulatory framework obliges water agencies to continuously strengthen their risk management plans and systems to proactively manage hazards and risks that may affect the quality of drinking water, from catchment to tap. Kym Peake Secretary Department of Health and Human Services i To receive this publication in an accessible format phone 1300 761 874, using the National Relay Service 13 36 77 if required, or email <[email protected]>. Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne. © State of Victoria, Department of Health and Human Services, February 2019. ISSN 2205-7633 (Print) 2205-7641 (Online) Available at www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/water/drinking-water-in-victoria/drinking-water- quality-annual-report Printed by Digital House, Port Melbourne (1812016) Contents Secretary’s foreword i List of tables and figures v Introduction 1 Delivering quality drinking water to Victorians 1 Highlights and achievements of 2017–18 3 Victoria’s safe drinking water regulatory framework 4 Minister for Health 4 The Department of Health and Human Services 4 Water Unit 5 Water agencies 5 Water storage managers 6 Water suppliers 7 Better regulation 8 Ministerial Statement of Expectations 8 Better regulatory practice framework 9 Standard operating procedures review 9 Water sector liaison 9 A collaborative approach to drinking water regulation 11 Essential Services Commission encouraging customer focus 12 Safe drinking water administration levy 13 Department expenditure associated with administering the Act 13 Regulatory requirements in 2017–18 15 Water sampling localities 15 Water quality standards 16 Reporting known or suspected contamination 21 Risk management plan audits 25 Regulated water declarations 27 Undertakings 28 Annual reports 29 iii Emergency preparedness and incident management 31 Lead 31 Asbestos in water 32 Recycled water cross-connections with a drinking water supply 33 Water fluoridation 35 Education and promotion 37 Guidance 37 Water agency forums 37 Upstream newsletter 38 Water Industry Officer Association Victorian conference 38 Victorian framework for water treatment operator competencies 39 On the horizon 41 Antimicrobial resistance in water 41 Source water protection 41 Appendices 43 Appendix 1: Water agency contact details 43 Appendix 2: Section 18 notifications for drinking water quality standards, 2017–18 44 Appendix 3: Section 22 reports, 2017–18 45 Appendix 4: Regulated water supplies at 30 June 2018 47 Appendix 5: Water agency assets visited in 2017–18 48 Appendix 6: Water Unit presentations and representation during 2017–18 49 Glossary 50 iv Annual report on drinking water quality in Victoria 2017–18 List of tables and figures Tables Table 1: Legislated roles associated with managing Victoria’s drinking water supply 11 Table 2: The department’s expenditure to administer the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2015–16 to 2017–18 14 Table 3: Safe Drinking Water Regulations Schedule 2 drinking water quality standards 16 Table 4: Water samples not meeting Schedule 2 quality standards 2015–16 to 2017–18 17 Table 5: Water samples not meeting the quality standard in accordance with Australian drinking water guidelines values 20 Table 6: Number of reports made under s. 22 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2015–16 to 2017–18 22 Table 7: Risk management plan audit non-compliances 26 Figures Figure 1: Water storage managers 6 Figure 2: Water suppliers 7 Figure 3: Statement of Expectations framework 8 Figure 4: Better regulatory practice framework 9 Figure 5: Victoria’s multi-jurisdictional water regulatory system 11 Figure 6: Percentage of water sampling localities compliant with the Schedule 2 water quality standards, 2015–16 to 2017–18 17 Figure 7: Percentage of water sampling localities continuously compliant with Schedule 2 drinking water quality standards, 2005–06 to 2017–18 18 Figure 8: Categories of reports made under s. 22 of the Act 2015–16 to 2017–18 23 Figure 9: Water agency risk management plan audit outcomes, 2008 to 2018 26 v Seymour water treatment plant (courtesy Goulburn Valley Water) vi Annual report on drinking water quality in Victoria 2017–18 Introduction The Safe Drinking Water Act 2003 (the Act) and Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2015 (the Regulations) provide Victorian water agencies and the Department of Health and Human Services (the department) with a framework to ensure safe drinking water is supplied for the health and wellbeing of Victorian communities. Section 32 of the Act requires that the Secretary of the department provides the Minister for Health with an annual report that details a statewide perspective of drinking water quality, along with details of the Secretary’s activities undertaken under the Act. This annual report summarises Victoria’s drinking water quality performance and the department’s activities during the 2017–18 reporting period. This annual report recognises the department’s ongoing commitment to delivering quality drinking water to Victorians. Delivering quality drinking water to Victorians Water agencies strive to mitigate risks wherever possible so that their customers continue to receive safe, good-quality drinking water. To assist water agencies to continue to deliver quality water to Victorians, the department remade the Regulations in 2015. This included a key requirement that water agencies quantify microbial hazards and determine the effectiveness of barriers in all drinking water supply systems. To do this, water agencies identify and measure the hazards in the water catchment and determine if the barriers, including treatment processes, are able to adequately address those risks. While filtration and chemical disinfection are the most common and acceptable forms of treatment to keep drinking water supplies safe, the quantification process highlighted some systems where the risk from chlorine-resistant pathogens such as protozoa needs to be better managed. As a result, in this reporting period, many water agencies have implemented upgrades to improve the quality of drinking water. Examples of upgrades reported include the addition of UV disinfection, filtration optimisation and improved raw water storage management. These have resulted in improvements to managing high-turbidity events and protozoan risk. Likewise, water storage managers also undertook works to improve the quality of source water in catchments, including tree planting around water storage reservoirs and additional perimeter fencing to protect storages from stock. 1 Mobile drinking water station (courtesy Westernport Water) 2 Annual report on drinking water quality in Victoria 2017–18 Highlights and achievements of 2017–18 In 2017–18, the department focused on embedding better regulatory practice to provide a clear focus on regulatory outcomes, demonstrate a risk-based approach to regulation, improve regulatory performance and accountability, and enable consistent oversight. Through administration of the Act, the department assists Victorian water agencies with their legislative obligations. Ensuring compliance is paramount to maintaining community confidence in drinking water supplies and protecting the public from hazards in water. Performance against the drinking water quality standards remained strong: – 463 localities (98.2%) continuously met the Schedule 2 water quality standards – 455 localities (96.6%) continuously met all water quality standards • Compliance with the E. coli standard improved (99.2%) from last year (98.3 %). • Compliance with the trihalomethane