PFAS screening results find regional NSW dams safe

The majority of dams have nil detections of PFAS, with minor traces identified in the untreated, raw water in some dams, which remains well below the safety threshold for recreational use.

WaterNSW’s regional dams release water into rivers for purposes including irrigation, environmental watering and as raw water for local water utilities, mostly managed by local councils, who treat the water to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

The distance between major dams and most downstream communities in regional areas means rainfall runoff and tributary inflows can influence water quality between the dam and the point of extraction and treatment by local water utilities.

The results of the dam screening analysis have been provided to local water utilities to help inform their own risk assessments in relation to treated drinking water.

The WaterNSW dams tested for PFAS are: Blowering Dam, Lake Brewster, Brogo Dam, Burrendong Dam, Burrinjuck Dam, Carcoar Dam, Chaffey Dam, Copeton Dam, Lake Cargelligo, Glenbawn Dam, Glennies Creek Dam, Keepit Dam, Hume Dam, Lostock Dam, Menindee Lakes, Pindari Dam, Split Rock Dam, Toonumbar Dam, Windamere Dam, Wyangala Dam.

• 13 dams had no detections.
• 7 storages had low-level detections, but were well within recreational guidelines: Burrinjuck, Burrendong, Windamere, Carcoar, Menindee Lakes, Lake Brewster and Lake Cargelligo.

No supplies downstream from the seven listed dams with PFAS detections have drinking water that has tested above the proposed guideline value.

For further information on PFAS visit the NSW Government website.