The Department of Health regulates the quality of drinking water in Western Australia in accordance with guidance set out in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (external site).
These guidelines are published by the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia’s peak public health policy organisation, and are designed to provide an authoritative reference on what defines safe, good quality water, how it can be achieved and how it can be assured.
The January 2022
edition (version 3.7) of these Guidelines, known as the “Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2011
– Version 3.7 Updated January 2022”, forms the basis for setting policy on the quality and
safety of drinking water supplied in WA and the risk management framework that applies thereto, from 1 January
2023.
Scheme suppliers and most other drinking water service providers in Western Australia must manage and monitor their systems and report the results to the Department of Health in accordance with agreed protocols pursuant to Memoranda of Understanding between the Department of Health and each drinking water licensee for drinking water.
Scheme suppliers and most other drinking water service providers must also notify the Department of Health when certain types of water quality incidents occur, in accordance with Incident Reporting protocols set by the Department, and implement corrective action proportionate to the circumstances of the incident.
In most cases scheme suppliers must publish on their web site information about the quality of drinking water supplied (including annual water quality reports) and provide relevant customer service information to customers.
Private small system operators supplying drinking water to the public are also monitored by the Department of Health through a network of local government health authorities.
