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A significant investigation has uncovered that residents of a popular tourist area in New South Wales have been exposed to cancer-linked “forever chemicals” in their drinking water for many years.

Known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), this group of 15,000 synthetic, highly toxic chemicals resists heat, stains, and grease. They’re called “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment.

PFAs detected in Blue Mountains

High-level contamination was detected in the drinking water catchment serving 30,000 people in the Blue Mountains in NSW in mid-2024.

The concentration of PFAS found was approximately 300 times greater than that in Sydney’s principal drinking water supply, yet it still complied with Australian standards for safe drinking water.

A released on Friday zeroed in on three potential sources of contamination — dating as far back as 33 years ago.

Possible sources of the contamination in the Adams Creek and Medlow catchments were identified as two separate motor vehicle accident sites along the Great Western Highway in 1992 and 2002 near Medlow Bath, as well as the Medlow Bath Rural Fire Brigade station.

‘Lack of transparency’ from Sydney Water and WaterNSW

John Dee, a veteran environmental activist who started the Stop PFAS group, has urged the buck-passing between agencies such as Sydney Water, the NSW Environmental Protection Authority and WaterNSW to stop.

“It’s been shown that Sydney Water and WaterNSW have not been fully transparent with the PFAS testing of our local drinking water,” he told AAP.

“It’s deliberately avoiding uncomfortable truths about the true state of water health in the Blue Mountains.”

He called for a single, independent statewide authority with comprehensive responsibility for overseeing PFAS contamination management and removal.

What happens now?

Medlow Dam and Greaves Creek Dam, of which Adams Creek is a tributary, will remain disconnected from the water supply system, WaterNSW said.
The dams will only return when permanent mitigation measures are in place.

Steep terrain, potential PFAS spread over a wide geographical region and extensive disturbance of high-value ecological habitat are all flagged as barriers to remediation.

Is it safe to drink water from these areas?

Health authorities say current drinking water meets existing guidelines and is safe to drink.
But the report did not quantify the current rate of PFAS discharge from potential source areas in surface water and groundwater, nor the total mass of PFAS previously discharged.
Risks to human health and the environment from exposure to PFAS at the source areas have also not been quantified.
Exposure to PFAS increases the risk of testicular and kidney cancer, affecting the immune system and causing developmental damage in children.

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