Australia - Water mix-up blasted

Water mix-up blasted
10 Jul 09 @ 09:14am by Joel Gould
AN independent report has slammed SEQwater’s handling of the over-fluoridation of Pine Rivers’ water supply earlier this year.
The independent investigation was conducted by Professor Mark Pascoe of the International Water Centre into the May 1 incident that saw up to 40 times the recommended level of fluoride pumped into the Pine Rivers suburbs of Brendale and Warner.
The incident occurred due to equipment malfunctions at the North Pine Water Treatment plant.
The Pascoe Report’s findings were damning and Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Stephen Robertson has put SEQwater ``on notice’’ to ensure such incidents do not occur again. He added that the incident had ``dented the community’s confidence in their drinking water supply’’.
Mr Robertson said the Pascoe Report found the fluoride overdosing ``occurred as a result of equipment failures to which the operators did not respond appropriately.
``The report found the design of the fluoride dosing facility at North Pine ... did not adhere to the Water Fluoridation Regulation requirements.’’
SEQwater was also found to have breached the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 and Water Fluoridation Act 2008.
Eatons Hill resident Daniel Boon, an environmentalist, said he had already lost confidence in the safety of the water supply.
``People should capture their own water,’’ he said
``I believe every person that has their welfare of family in mind should capture rainwater and by all means boil it first and drink their rainwater before they consider putting mains water into a glass and drinking it.
``It would be cheaper and safer for the government to make fluoride tablets available for people who believe in fluoridisation.’’
At the time of the May incident, Warner mother of five Tamara Hamilton said she was concerned for the safety of her infant.
``Everyone in Warner is concerned if it is a one-off thing and whether we need to buy bottled water.”