Bore water polluters ‘ must pay’
AYR resident Paul Felesina wants those responsible for the unsafe levels of a toxic chemical detected in bores connected to the town’s water supply to be held accountable.
The father of two said he and his wife had purchased packs of bottled water after the Burdekin Shire Council confirmed high levels of perand poly- flouroalkyl substances ( PFAS) had been found in two of the six bores at Nelson’s Lagoon borefield.
Mr Felesina said he was annoyed and disappointed at the council’s response.
“If someone doesn’t mow their lawn or pay their rates, they ( council) fine them or sell their houses underneath them, yet we’ve been drinking poison water for three months that can give us kidney cancer and it’s all fine,” Mr Felesina said.
While Burdekin Mayor Lyn McLaughlin had assured residents the town water supply was safe to drink, Mr Felesina said he wanted the council to foot the bill for bottled water he and his family purchased.
“I have two little kids,” he said.
“Who wants to be drinking poison water?”
A council spokeswoman said the council was working with the state government and the water supply regulator to determine the cause of the PFAS detected in the two bores.
Infrastructure, Planning and Environmental Services council director Nick Wellwood said the two bores were immediately disconnected from the town water supply after last Friday’s testing found the elevated levels of PFAS.
A third round of testing conducted on Wednesday showed only one bore was still contaminated.
The water from the remaining contaminated bore is due to be tested again on Monday by Queensland Health.
PFAS is a man- made chemical developed in the 1950s that was widely used in household and industrial products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease and water.
The Queensland Government says the effects of exposure to PFAS to human health are currently unknown, but the potential for adverse health effects could not be excluded.