Toxic ‘forever chemicals' detected in Sydney’s water supply

Cancer-linked 'forever chemicals' known as PFAS have been detected for the first time at numerous water filtration plants across Sydney.

Transcript

00:00New data from Sydney Water has demonstrated low levels of PFAS in Sydney's drinking water

00:07supply at several key sites including at Warragamba, Prospect Reservoir and Orchard Hills, as well

00:13as slightly higher levels at the Cascade Dam at Katoomba and Blackheath, as well as at

00:18North Richmond.

00:19The results have come from tests done in June and July of this year recently published on

00:24the Sydney Water website.

00:26They've been testing drinking water at Richmond for about five years, but have recently started

00:31testing at Cascade.

00:32Those results have shown 0.0147 micrograms per litre, below the Australian guidelines

00:39of 0.7 micrograms per litre.

00:42But the chemicals often used to make products heat-resistant and stain-resistant have received

00:48international concern, with the US changing its guidelines, stressing there is no acceptable

00:52level of exposure.

00:54Sydney Water has notified NSW Health of their findings and has said in a statement, monitoring

00:59of drinking water uses a risk-based approach and Sydney Water regularly tests for PFAS,

01:05including monthly monitoring in potentially impacted areas.

01:08The findings also come as a study from Western Sydney University has identified potentially

01:13high levels of the chemicals within platypus bodies found in NSW waterways.

01:18Eight bodies have been taken and analysed to have high levels of PFOS, which falls under

01:23the PFAS banner, in their livers.

01:26And it shows there are potentially high levels in aquatic environments.

01:30They're calling on more awareness and action in order to address these high levels of chemicals

01:35affecting waterways.