Role of the community in drinking water managementSustainable water management benefits the whole community. It is vital that the council involves the community in protecting the quality and quantity of local water supplies.
All water users are obliged to comply with local water laws. For example, they:
Community members are often the first to notice a leak in the system, or a drop in water quality. Make sure that people know what kinds of problems to keep an eye out for, and how to report problems. (It is a good idea for council to acknowledge and thank a person who has taken the trouble to report a problem in the system.)
When individuals realise that the water being supplied is their water (the council is only the provider), they are more likely to value and protect their water supply. As the EHW, you can encourage people in the community to take the lead in saving water.
A school is a good place to demonstrate water saving ideas. These can include fixing leaking taps, using half-flush toilets, keeping a waterwise garden and maintaining rainwater tanks.
Council can also demonstrate water saving in its own operations, and let the community know what it is doing on their behalf to save water.
People who use private rainwater tanks or bores or surface water help reduce demand on the council water supply system. The council and EHW need to provide people with information on keeping their supplies clean and safe.
Regular maintenance is recommended in the rainwater tank fact sheets prepared by the enHealth Council and the Environmental Protection Agency. Councils can advise people to keep their water supply safe by:
The Public Health Regulation 2005 section 2P sets out the requirements for the construction of tanks to ensure they are not breeding sites for mosquitos.
If there is any doubt about the quality of tank water, Queensland Health recommends that the water be boiled before people drink it. The enHealth brochure also deals with disinfecting and cleaning tanks.
Roofs that have lead-based paints, primers, or are coated with bitumen-based material should not be allowed to drain rainwater into a tank used for drinking water.
Creeks, billabongs and dams need to be watched for a build-up of blue-green algae. The use of fertilisers or pesticides must be carefully controlled so that these do not get into the water supply.
You'll find more information on water quality and environmental health on the enHealth publications page and the National Health and Medical Research Council page.
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