Water Quality
Click through the topics below to learn more about your water:
Quality standards
Our shire's drinking water must meet strict water quality standards set by Federal and State Governments before it's delivered to our resident's homes and businesses.
Ballina Shire Council has an Urban Water Quality Policy(PDF, 242KB) that addresses all aspects of the urban water cycle. This policy ensures Council applies contemporary practices and complies with legislative requirements to manage urban water quality.
Water treatment
Our bulk water supplier, Rous County Council operates two Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) to filter and treat the water from damns and river sources. Visit Rous County Council's website for more information about the water treatment process.
Water quality testing
Ballina Shire Council's Water and Wastewater Team regularly tests the quality of drinking water and recycled water that's supplied to homes and businesses in our community. The quality of our drinking water and recycled water must meet national and state guidelines.
Download the Australian Drinking Water Standards
Water Hardness
Water hardness refers to the amount of calcium and magnesium salts dissolved in water. Hard water also reacts chemically with soap. Increased levels of calcium and magnesium in water make it ‘hard’ to get soap to lather.
What makes water ‘hard’?
Hard water is formed when water passes through or over limestone and chalk deposits prior to the treatment process. These minerals are naturally occurring in all water sources and are important for the development of bones or shells of aquatic organisms (calcium) and photosynthesis in plants (magnesium).
The hardness of water depends on the water’s original water source and is independent of the treatment process. This is why water hardness varies from region-to-region across Australia.
Water hardness in the home
Hard water may leave white spots or flakes on drinking glasses, shower screens, car windows, kettles or hot water heaters. This is because the minerals remain after the water has evaporated. This can occur with both recycled water and drinking water.
To minimise these spots or streaks occurring avoid allowing water to pool or quickly evaporate and, for best results, always dry your car or glass with a microfiber towel or chamois.
Drinking water hardness in the Ballina Shire
The total hardness of the drinking water supplied in Alstonville, Ballina and Lennox Head is typically in the region of 60mg/l as CaCO3, 0.65 mmol/l or 3.7°d. Wardell, Meerschaum Vale and Cabbage Tree Island is typically in the range of 30mg/l as CaCO3. This water is classified on the border of moderately soft and moderately hard.
Is my recycled water ‘harder’ than drinking water?
Only slightly. The recycled water currently supplied out of the Lennox Head Treatment Plant has a water hardness of approximately 90mg/l as CaCO3. Although this is higher than drinking water, users are unlikely to notice a difference between the two water sources.
Figure 1. Water hardness classification image
Fluoride
Fluoride is added to the Ballina Shire drinking water supply under strict standards prescribed by NSW Health. Scientists and governments around the world support water fluoridation as a safe and reliable way to prevent dental decay. NSW Health are the fluoride regulator and have more resources available on their website.
How is fluoride added to our drinking water?
Our Water and Wastewater Section closely monitor fluoride dosing. Fluoride is added to Ballina Shire’s drinking water at several locations:
- Rous County Council operates fluoride plants at Clunes, Knockrow, Dorroughby and Corndale. These plants supply fluoridated water to the rest of the Ballina Shire and residents of Lismore, and Richmond Valley.
For more information on fluoride visit Rous County Council's website.
FAQs
My water looks milky, what should I do?
Milky or cloudy water is caused from fine air bubbles present in the water, which are usually caused after works on the water main. Air trapped in the pipeline dissolves into the water under high pressure.
The fine bubbles are completely harmless and safe to drink. To confirm if this is the case, put water into a clean glass. The water should settle and become clear within a minute or two.
Why are there white stains on the grass and my car?
This can occur with both drinking and recycled water and is a result of calcium and magnesium in the water, which is naturally occurring and is also known as ‘water hardness’.
The higher the levels of calcium and magnesium in the water the ‘harder’ it is to make soap suds and the more likely it is to leave a white residue.
Due to the slightly higher hardness of our recycled water, users might experience white scaling or deposits visible on glass or cars, if not dried with a cloth.
My laundry is dirty after washing, what should I do?
The most common cause of dirty laundry after washing is from poor washing machine maintenance, not poor water quality.
You can fix this by cleaning your washing machine regularly. Mold or greasy residue can buildup in your washing machine drum.
We suggest you clean the drum by running an empty washing cycle with a cupful of white vinegar or bleach instead of detergent (or look for products specially designed for this purpose).
Then, wipe out the drum and around the door seal with a clean, dry cloth.