What is PFAS?
Per and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals used in various industrial and consumer products for their resistance to heat, stains, grease and water. PFAS are termed "forever chemicals" due to their persistence and slow breakdown in the environment.
Drinking Water Guidelines on PFAS
The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines provide standards for safe drinking water. Current guidelines ensure water safety for PFAS, with future stricter limits under consultation.
The NSW Government rigorously assesses treated water to ensure water supplies comply with existing guidelines. For more details go to NSW Government PFAS page.
PFAS analysis for Wentworth Shire Council
Recent water testing by Wentworth Shire Council (December 2024) showed PFAS levels significantly below the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines' thresholds, confirming the water is safe for consumption.
Water testing occurred in all three of Wentworth Shire Council's Filtered Water Supplies:
- Gol Gol (supplying Gol Gol, Buronga and Dareton)
- Wentworth
- Pooncarie
| Characteristic | Current ADWG value | Proposed ADWG value | Result for all sites | Meeting current ADWG value (%) |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) | 0.560 µg/L | 0.2 µg/L | <0.001 µg/L | 100 |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) | Sum of PFOS and PFHxS 0.07 µg/L |
0.004 µg/L | <0.001 µg/L | 100 |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) | As above | 0.03 µg/L | <0.001 µg/L | 100 |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) | No current guideline value | 1 µg/L | <0.001 µg/L | 100 |
These results align with the NSW Government's findings that most water supplies, including regional ones, are well within acceptable PFAS levels.
Summary
Water test results indicate that PFAS concentration in all of Wentworth's Filtered Water Supplies are far below both the current and proposed Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, ensuring compliance with environmental health standards and continued community confidence in drinking water quality.
