28 November 2017
Council advises residents that the current discoloured water supply is safe to drink but not to wash white clothes in.
The brown to orange tinge in the water supply is due to iron and manganese particles that have been scoured from the lining of a trunk main due to a higher velocity of water passing through it.
Council shut down one of the two large trunk mains in Murwillumbah to allow workers to safely install a stormwater pipe beneath that main on a job site in Nullum Street, forcing the other trunk main to take double the volume of water thus scouring the lining of the pipe.
“We did not expect the scouring to be as intense as it has been,” said Manager Water and Wastewater Anthony Burnham. “We regularly flush the mains and undertake air scouring to remove the build-up of iron and manganese from pipe linings but this event confirms the build-up of those two elements in this main was greater than we expected.”
The discolouration is likely to continue today and tomorrow and will spread further across the shire. Currently the issue is being reported in Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads and Banora Point.
“While we have taken action to stop pushing more discoloured water into the network, what’s there already has to pass through so residents should expect that the brown-orange tinge to the water will continue today and tomorrow.”
Residents with discoloured water are asked to contact Council on 6670 2400 and Council will respond by flushing the mains near affected properties.
Those who have washed whites in the discoloured water are advised not to let the clothes dry but to immediately place back in a tub of water and contact Council for a cleaning kit. If the whites dry, the discolouration stain will become permanent.
For more information on how to clean laundry stained with discoloured water, see http://www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/WaterQuality.