A $3.5 million mobile PFAS treatment system is being installed at the Cascade Water Filtration Plant on the outskirts of Sydney. Two dams that supply water to the Cascade plant were shut in August, and remain closed, after tests showed PFAS contamination. The mobile treatment system will be operational by the end of 2024, with the first results set to be available in early 2025.
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TVTranscript
00:00John Dee doesn't know how long his family has been drinking PFAS contaminated water.
00:09We know our drinking water would be considered illegal in America because of the high level
00:14of PFAS forever chemicals.
00:16Water in the Upper Blue Mountains catchment is technically considered safe by Australian
00:20standards but not for long.
00:23New guidelines proposed federally would drastically reduce acceptable levels early next year.
00:31An independent investigation found firefighting foam used on a petrol tanker crash in 1992
00:38likely leached into the catchment.
00:40Now looks that we could have been drinking this water for nearly 32 years and that's
00:45unacceptable.
00:47Six months ago NSW Government and Sydney Water were proudly saying there are no known PFAS
00:56hotspots in the water catchment.
00:58They've since shut two dams and are now investing three and a half million dollars in a mobile
01:03treatment system.
01:04I don't think people should be unnecessarily worried about exposure to forever chemicals
01:09and PFAS but wherever possible we will look to strengthen both testing and the kind of
01:16built and fixed infrastructure when it comes to water.
01:19This is an emerging global problem meaning treatments are still in their infancy but
01:24Sydney Water says the technology being installed here is considered the most effective and
01:29will significantly improve the quality of drinking water.
01:33This is one of the first case studies when it's entered a major water supply in Australia
01:38and this is going to be really important to see how quick, affordable and effective the
01:44treatment is going to be.
01:47It'll be switched on by the end of the year.