Non-reportable parameters
From time to time, in consultation with Queensland Health about any potential or actual risk to public health, the Office of the Water Supply Regulator may declare a particular parameter or parameters to be ‘non-reportable’ as an incident. These parameters may be subject to specific conditions and may be applicable only in some circumstances, such as an event.
The following list is subject to change, so providers should review it regularly for updates:
Parameters that are non-reportable as an incident
- Alkalinity
- Calcium
- Cobalt
- Geosmin
- Langelier Index
- Magnesium
- 2-methylisoborneol (MIB)
- pH
- Potassium
- Silica
- Temperature
- Tin
- Total organic carbon (TOC)
- Dissolved organic carbon (DOC)
- Heterotrophic plate count (HPC)
- Total coliforms
Elevated disinfection levels in the transmission system
The regulator has determined that chlorine or monochloramine in the treatment or transmission systems will now be considered non-reportable parameters, subject to certain conditions:
- an exemption applies to incident reporting for chlorine or monochloramine levels above the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) values found in the water treatment or transmission system where, as an operational practice, dosing of chlorine or monochloramine levels higher than ADWG health value is required to achieve adequate disinfection in the reticulation system.
- an exemption applies when there is a monitoring point prior to the delivery of water to customers to demonstrate the disinfection values are within the ADWG health guidelines.
- where water is supplied from a transmission system owner by one provider to a reticulation system owned by another provider, the owner of the reticulation system must be aware of the practice.
- providers must continue to report on chlorine or monochloramine levels above the ADWG in a reticulation system.
The regulator recommends that all providers who choose to dose chlorine or monochloramine at levels higher than the ADWG health value in order to achieve adequate disinfection in the reticulation system consider the risks of disinfection by-products being formed and include these in their regular monitoring program as appropriate.
Last reviewed 16 February 2012
Last updated 3 September 2010
