THE expert panel set up to investigate the risk posed by uranium contamination in local drinking water supplies, has been disbanded.
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The panel drew together experts from a range of health specialties and determined there was negligible risk from past exposure to uranium found in ground water supplies in Moonbi-Kootingal and Bendemeer
With Moonbi-Kootingal and Bendemeer now switched to reticulated water supplies for the indefinite future, public health registrar and panel member Dr Kathryn Taylor said there was “no ongoing risk” for residents and “in that sense” the matter was resolved.
While the expert panel concluded there was “negligible risk of adverse health affects” posed to the community members, Hunter New England Health has made a number of recommendations to council for the future.
Dr Taylor said council has been advised to now test uranium levels on a monthly basis.
The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) recommend monitoring uranium levels on an annual basis – Tamworth Regional Council had been testing for heavy metals in the water every six months, since 2014.
The panel had also recommended Moonbi-Kootingal’s bore number five – which had returned the elevated uranium readings almost double the ADWG – be decommissioned.
The public health registrar said GPs should be the first port of call for any further individual health advice.
“We understand it has been a stressful time for the community and people with further health concerns are advised to speak with their GPs in the first instance,” she said.
Dr Taylor said locals with residual health related concerns are also welcome to contact the Hunter New England Health Public Health Unit on 1300 066 055.
Dr Taylor said the panel’s work was done for now and a statement issued by Hunter New England Health said “no additional community meetings are planned”, despite Tamworth Regional Council mayor Col Murray telling The Leader he was committed to hold another meeting with residents.
There was no Hunter New England Health representative at the Kootingal community meeting at the end of October, but Dr Taylor said council had been asked to maintain a register of any health related concerns, which had been raised by residents.
Jacob McArthur
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
