PFAS and your water
Keeping you informed about our long-term water security.
Keeping you updated on PFAS
As the Wagga Wagga community is aware, the Department of Defence is actively managing PFAS contamination at its RAAF Base at Forest Hill together with local and NSW Government agencies; including Riverina Water, Wagga Wagga City Council, the NSW Environment Protection Authority, NSW Department of Planning and Environment and NSW Health.
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made compounds that were widely used from the 1950s to make products that are heat, stain, grease and water resistant. Defence began using firefighting products containing PFAS as an active ingredient at the RAAF Base Wagga from the 1970s until 2004 when it phased out its use with alternative products.
Defence has been actively monitoring and tracking the movement of PFAS in the groundwater from its base; with earlier modelling indicating there was the potential for PFAS movement to reach some of Riverina Water’s supply bores within the next 50 years.
It is important to note there is no cause for alarm, or risk to your health.
Community update March 2024
The Department of Defence has finished construction on a new sentinel bore to monitor the movement of the PFAS plume towards Riverina Water’s East Wagga borefield, with the first test results finding that PFAS has not been detected.
Defence previously detected PFAS 650m from Riverina Water’s borefield, which indicated the plume may be moving at a faster rate than it first modelled. However, Defence’s initial sentinel bore was at a depth of around 25m, while Riverina Water’s East Wagga borefield is drawing water at a depth of around 63m.
The new negative results mean that while the PFAS issue originating from the RAAF Base is an ongoing concern, the rate of the plume's spread may not have been as rapid as the initial sentinel bore test results suggested.
Defence will continue to monitor the results of its sentinel bores.
PFAS has not been detected in any of Riverina Water’s East Wagga bores at any point.
Riverina Water will continue to provide safe and reliable drinking water within the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
Past updates
At the 14 December meeting, an update was provided to the Board regarding PFAS.
The Department of Defence will be constructing a new sentinel bore to monitor the movement of the PFAS plume towards Riverina Water’s East Wagga borefield.
Defence previously detected PFAS 650m from Riverina Water’s borefield, which indicated the plume may be moving at a faster rate than it first modelled.
However, Defence’s initial sentinel bore was at a depth of around 25m, while Riverina Water’s East Wagga borefield is drawing water at a depth of around 63m. The new sentinel bore is expected to provide a more accurate picture of the situation, with construction expecting to start in January 2024.
PFAS has not been detected in Riverina Water’s East Wagga bores.
Investigations are continuing into the source of a very low level of PFAS at a single bore at Riverina Water’s West Wagga borefield.
The Department of Defence is undertaking the investigation on the behalf of Riverina Water, while the Department of Primary Industries – Water will be conducting sampling across Wagga Wagga.
The results were just above the minimum level of PFAS that could be detected, with results ranging from 0.015 - 0.02 micrograms per litre (ug/L). This is significantly below the prescribed PFAS health limits of 0.07 ug/L for safe drinking water under the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
This means the bore can be utilised when needed as demand increases in summer in line with the national drinking water health standards.
Results from Defence’s groundwater monitoring in East Wagga suggests PFAS movement in groundwater may have travelled further than initially predicted, though more modelling will need to be undertaken to understand if there will be an impact on groundwater in the future.
As a result of Defence’s monitoring at East Wagga, Riverina Water undertook further precautionary testing of all its water sources. No detectable levels of PFAS levels were recorded at sources nearest to East Wagga and in any other of water sources, with the exception of one very low-level reading in a bore at our West Wagga site.
It is important to note there is no cause for alarm, or risk to your health.
The bore has not been in recent production and remains isolated from the network while the result is being investigated. The low-level PFAS result at the one West Wagga site was well within the health limits set by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG).
We will continue to update our community regularly with any information regarding PFAS and our water sources. Defence is continuing to work closely with Riverina Water and other government agencies to ensure strong measures are put in place to manage any future risks and help safeguard water for our community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is our water safe to drink?
Yes.
Are any of our water sources at risk of PFAS contamination from the RAAF Base Wagga?
There is no short-term risk of PFAS potentially impacting our water sources.
Has PFAS been detected in any of Riverina Water’s raw water sources?
One bore at West Wagga has detected 0.02 micrograms per litre (ug/L), which is slightly above lowest concentration that can be reliably reported of 0.01 ug/L.
The detection of 0.02 ug/L is well below the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (national (0.07 ug/L) and national health based guidance value for recreational water quality (2.0 ug/L).
Riverina Water has a multitude of other water sources, all of which have not had any recorded reading of PFAS. No single water source
What is being done to manage PFAS?
Defence is working with Riverina Water, the NSW Government, and Wagga Wagga City Council to ensure the continued integrity of the Wagga Wagga water supply.
Defence’s monitoring program will continue to manage any changes. Riverina Water is also conducting its own regular testing of its raw water sources as a proactive measure.
Remediation works at RAAF Base Wagga are in development by Defence and is expected to reduce the amount of PFAS moving off the base into the surrounding environment.
Defence will continue to share information about the ongoing monitoring program and continue to provide updates on how the contamination is being managed.
What is PFAS?
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of manufactured chemicals that have been widely used globally, since the 1950s in the manufacture of household and industrial products that resist heat, stains, grease and water, and in other specialised applications including firefighting foams.
PFAS are also used in a range of domestic and industrial products and have been found near some industrial areas, sewage treatment plants and landfill sites.
PFAS consists of very stable chemicals that bioaccumulate, do not easily break down and can persist in the environment for a long time
Is exposure to PFAS a health risk?
PFAS are an emerging contaminant which means that their ecological and/or human health effects are unclear.
There is currently no consistent evidence that exposure to PFAS causes adverse human health effects.
What is the safe level for PFAS in drinking water?
Riverina Water follows the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Australian Drinking Water Guidelines for PFAS of less than 0.07 micrograms per litre.
These guidelines have the expectation of someone drinking water with those PFAS concentrations every day over their lifetime.
There have been no detections of the chemicals in our drinking water above these guidelines.
What is the history of PFAS in Wagga Wagga?
The Department of Defence began using firefighting products containing PFAS as an active ingredient at the RAAF Base Wagga from the 1970s until 2004 when it phased out its use with alternative products.
Defence has been actively monitoring and tracking PFAS compounds in the groundwater from its base, with early modelling suggesting these detected compounds could reach some of Riverina Water’s supply bores within the next 50 years. More recent monitoring has now indicated this timeframe may be shortened, but more modelling is to be done to get a clearer idea of impacts for the future.
Page last updated December 2023