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Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
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  • Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
  • Copyright
  • Table of updates
  • Contents
  • Figures
  • Tables
  • Boxes
  • Introduction
    • Chapter 1: Introduction
      • 1.1 Guiding principles
      • 1.2 About the Guidelines
        • 1.2.1 Scope of the Guidelines
        • 1.2.2 Purpose of the Guidelines
        • 1.2.3 Structure of the Guidelines
      • 1.3 Water quality characteristics
        • 1.3.1 Introduction
        • 1.3.2 Health-based targets
        • 1.3.3 Microbial health-based targets
        • 1.3.4 Physical and chemical guideline values
        • 1.3.5 Radiological screening and reference values
      • 1.4 Community consultation
      • 1.5 Development of the Guidelines
        • 1.5.1 Acknowledgments
      • 1.6 Future revisions of the Guidelines
      • 1.7 References
  • Part 1: Management of Drinking Water Quality
    • Chapter 2: Framework for Management of Drinking Water Quality: overview
      • 2.1 A preventive strategy from catchment to consumer
      • 2.2 Structure of the Framework
      • 2.3 Benefits of the Framework
      • 2.4 The need for multi-agency involvement
      • 2.5 Applying the Framework
      • 2.6 Correlations of the Framework with other systems
    • Chapter 3: Framework for Management of Drinking Water Quality: the twelve elements
      • 3.1 Commitment to drinking water quality management (element 1)
        • 3.1.1 Drinking water quality policy
        • 3.1.2 Regulatory and formal requirements
        • 3.1.3 Engaging stakeholders
      • 3.2 Assessment of the drinking water supply system (element 2)
        • 3.2.1 Water supply system analysis
        • 3.2.2 Assessment of water quality data
        • 3.2.3 Hazard identification and risk assessment
      • 3.3 Preventive measures for drinking water quality management (element 3)
        • 3.3.1 Preventive measures and multiple barriers
        • 3.3.2 Critical control points
      • 3.4 Operational procedures and process control (element 4)
        • 3.4.1 Operational procedures
        • 3.4.2 Operational monitoring
        • 3.4.3 Corrective action
        • 3.4.4 Equipment capability and maintenance
        • 3.4.5 Materials and chemicals
      • 3.5 Verification of drinking water quality (element 5)
        • 3.5.1 Drinking water quality monitoring
        • 3.5.2 Consumer satisfaction
        • 3.5.3 Short-term evaluation of results
        • 3.5.4 Corrective action
      • 3.6 Management of incidents and emergencies (element 6)
        • 3.6.1 Communication
        • 3.6.2 Incident and emergency response protocols
      • 3.7 Employee awareness and training (element 7)
        • 3.7.1 Employee awareness and involvement
        • 3.7.2 Employee training
      • 3.8 Community involvement and awareness (element 8)
        • 3.8.1 Community consultation
        • 3.8.2 Communication
      • 3.9 Research and development (element 9)
        • 3.9.1 Investigative studies and research monitoring
        • 3.9.2 Validation of processes
        • 3.9.3 Design of equipment
      • 3.10 Documentation and reporting (element 10)
        • 3.10.1 Management of documentation and records
        • 3.10.2 Reporting
      • 3.11 Evaluation and audit (element 11)
        • 3.11.1 Long-term evaluation of results
        • 3.11.2 Audit of drinking water quality management
      • 3.12 Review and continual improvement (element 12)
        • 3.12.1 Review by senior executive
        • 3.12.2 Drinking water quality management improvement plan
      • 3.13 References
    • Chapter 4: Framework for the Management of Drinking Water Quality: application to small water supplies
      • 4.1 Introduction
      • 4.2 Applying the Framework
        • 4.2.1 Assessment of the drinking water supply
        • 4.2.2 Preventive measures for drinking water quality management
        • 4.2.3 Implementation of operational procedures and process control
        • 4.2.4 Verification of drinking water quality
      • 4.3 Individual household supplies
      • 4.4 Reference
  • Part 2: Description of Water Quality
    • Chapter 5: Microbial Quality of Drinking Water (Updated 2022)
      • 5.1 Introduction
      • 5.2 Microorganisms in drinking water
      • 5.3 Assessing microbial risk
      • 5.4 Enteric pathogens
        • 5.4.1 Enteric pathogens of concern in drinking water
        • 5.4.2 Contamination of source waters with enteric pathogens
        • 5.4.3 Management of risk from enteric pathogens
      • 5.5 Opportunistic pathogens
      • 5.6 Cyanobacteria
      • 5.7 Nuisance organisms
        • 5.7.1 Organisms causing taste and odour problems
        • 5.7.2 Organisms causing colour problems
        • 5.7.3 Deposits due to iron and manganese bacteria
        • 5.7.4 Corrosion problems due to iron and sulphur bacteria
        • 5.7.5 Problems caused by large numbers of microorganisms
      • 5.8 References
    • Chapter 6: Physical and Chemical Quality of Drinking Water
      • 6.1 Introduction
      • 6.2 Physical quality of drinking water
        • 6.2.1 An overview of physical characteristics
        • 6.2.2 Approach used in derivation of guidelines values for physical characteristics
      • 6.3 Chemical quality of drinking water
        • 6.3.1 Inorganic chemicals
        • 6.3.2 Organic compounds (Revised 2011)
        • 6.3.3 Approach used in derivation of guideline values for chemicals
      • 6.4 Differences between Australian and WHO guideline values
      • 6.5 National and international guideline values (2016)
      • 6.6 References
    • Chapter 7: Radiological Quality of Drinking Water (Updated 2022)
      • 7.1 Introduction
      • 7.2 Sources of radiation in the environment and in drinking water
      • 7.3 Health effects of radiation
      • 7.4 Exposure to radiation
      • 7.5 Units of radioactivity and radiation dose measurement
        • 7.5.1 Units of radioactivity and radiation dose
        • 7.5.2 Converting intake to radiation dose
        • 7.5.3 Average dose of radiation
      • 7.6 Approach for derivation of reference levels and screening values for radionuclides
        • 7.6.1 System for radiation protection
        • 7.6.2 Estimation of the dose from radionuclides in water
        • 7.6.3 Estimation of risk from low-level radiation
        • 7.6.4 Reference levels and screening values for drinking water
        • 7.6.5 Application of reference levels
        • 7.6.6 Remedial measures
      • 7.7 References
    • Chapter 8: Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals (Revised 2006)
      • 8.1 Introduction
      • 8.2 Scope and limit of application of this chapter
      • 8.3 Overview of chemical treatment processes
        • 8.3.1 Control of algae
        • 8.3.2 Coagulation and flocculation
        • 8.3.3 Adsorption
        • 8.3.4 Softening
        • 8.3.5 Oxidation
        • 8.3.6 Disinfection
        • 8.3.7 Adjustment of pH
        • 8.3.8 Addition of buffering capacity
        • 8.3.9 Corrosion inhibition
      • 8.4 Public health measures
        • 8.4.1 Fluoridation
      • 8.5 Assessment of Chemicals acceptable for use in drinking water treatment (revised 2016)
        • 8.5.1 Chemicals assessed prior to 2004
        • 8.5.2 New water treatment chemicals
      • 8.6 Quality assurance for drinking water treatment chemicals
        • 8.6.1 Risks associated with drinking water chemicals
        • 8.6.2 Managing risks
        • 8.6.3 Specifications for the supply of drinking water treatment chemicals
      • 8.7 Monitoring and analytical requirements
      • 8.8 Contaminants in drinking water treatment chemicals
      • 8.9 Useful contacts
      • 8.10 References
  • Part 3: Monitoring
    • Chapter 9: Overview of monitoring (Revised 2021)
      • 9.1 Introduction
      • 9.2 Monitoring overview
        • 9.2.1 Monitoring priorities
        • 9.2.2 Principles of monitoring frequency
        • 9.2.3 Catchment-to-consumer monitoring
      • 9.3 Developing a monitoring program
      • 9.4 Operational monitoring
        • 9.4.1 Operational characteristics
        • 9.4.2 Target criteria
        • 9.4.3 Critical limits at critical control points
        • 9.4.4 Corrective action
        • 9.4.5 Operational monitoring frequency
        • 9.4.6 Chlorination as a critical control point: an example
      • 9.5 Verification of drinking water quality
        • 9.5.1 Monitoring consumer satisfaction
        • 9.5.2 Drinking water quality monitoring
      • 9.6 Water quality issues beyond the point of supply
      • 9.7 Investigative studies and research monitoring
      • 9.8 Validation of barrier performance
      • 9.9 Incident and emergency response monitoring
      • 9.10 Reliability of monitoring data
        • 9.10.1 Sample integrity
        • 9.10.2 Methods
        • 9.10.3 Detection limits
        • 9.10.4 Measurement uncertainty
        • 9.10.5 Field testing
      • 9.11 Monitoring advice for small, remote or community-managed water supplies
      • 9.12 Assessing the significance of short-term exceedances of health-based guideline values
      • 9.13 References
    • Chapter 10: Monitoring for specific characteristics in drinking water (Updated 2022)
      • 10.1 Introduction
      • 10.2 Assessing safety: short-term evaluation of monitoring
        • 10.2.1 Short-term evaluation of operational monitoring
        • 10.2.2 Short-term evaluation of drinking water quality monitoring
      • 10.3 Assessing performance: long-term evaluation of monitoring
        • 10.3.1 Long-term evaluation of microbial performance
        • 10.3.2 Long-term evaluation of health-based chemical performance
        • 10.3.3 Long-term evaluation of aesthetic performance
        • 10.3.4 Long-term evaluation of consumer satisfaction
        • 10.3.5 Improvement plan
        • 10.3.6 Performance reporting
        • 10.3.7 Summary of guideline values for microbial, chemical and physical characteristics
        • 10.3.8 Summary of reference levels and screening values for radiological characteristics
      • 10.4 Reference
  • Part 4: Information sheets
    • 1. Disinfection
      • 1.1: Introduction to water treatment
      • 1.2: Overview of disinfection
      • 1.3: Disinfection with chlorine
      • 1.4: Chloramines
      • 1.5: Disinfection with chlorine dioxide
      • 1.6: Disinfection with ozone
      • 1.7: Disinfection with ultraviolet light
      • 1.8: Other disinfectants
    • 2. Sampling
      • 2.1: Sampling Information – handling requirements and preservation
      • 2.2: Radiological monitoring and assessment of performance (updated 2022)
    • 3. Statistics
      • 3.1: Statistics – Visualising data
      • 3.2: Statistics – Assessing data
      • 3.3: Statistics – Statistical principles
      • 3.4: Statistics – Control charts and trends
      • 3.5: Number of samples required
      • 3.6: Guidance for issuing and lifting boil water advisories
      • Attachments
  • Part 5: Fact sheets
    • Microorganisms
      • Microbial indicators
        • Bacteroides
        • Coliphages
        • Clostridium perfringens
        • Escherichia coli
        • Heterotrophic plate counts
        • Intestinal enterococci
        • Thermotolerant coliforms
        • Total coliforms
      • Bacteria
        • Aeromonas
        • Burkholderia pseudomallei
        • Campylobacter
        • Escherichia coli (E. coli) (pathogenic)
        • Helicobacter pylori
        • Klebsiella
        • Legionella
        • Mycobacterium
        • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
        • Salmonella
        • Shigella
        • Vibrio
        • Yersinia
      • Protozoa
        • Acanthamoeba
        • Blastocystis
        • Cryptosporidium
        • Cyclospora
        • Giardia
        • Naegleria fowleri
      • Cyanobacteria and their toxins
        • Cyanobacteria and their toxins
        • Cylindrospermopsin
        • Microcystins
        • Nodularin
        • Saxitoxins
      • Viruses
        • Adenovirus
        • Enterovirus
        • Hepatitis viruses
        • Norovirus
        • Rotavirus
    • Physical and chemical characteristics
      • Acephate
      • Acrylamide
      • Aldicarb
      • Aldrin and Dieldrin
      • Aluminium
      • Ametryn
      • Amitraz
      • Amitrole
      • Ammonia
      • Antimony
      • Arsenic
      • Asbestos
      • Asulam
      • Atrazine
      • Azinphos-methyl
      • Barium
      • Benomyl
      • Bentazone
      • Benzene
      • Beryllium
      • Bioresmethrin
      • Boron
      • Bromacil
      • Bromate
      • Bromoxynil
      • Cadmium
      • Captan
      • Carbaryl
      • Carbendazim/Thiophanate-methyl
      • Carbofuran
      • Carbon tetrachloride
      • Carboxin
      • Carfentrazone-ethyl
      • Chloral hydrate (Trichloroacetaldehyde)
      • Chlorantraniliprole
      • Chlordane
      • Chlorfenvinphos
      • Chloride
      • Chlorinated furanones
      • Chlorine
      • Chlorine dioxide, Chlorite, Chlorate
      • Chloroacetic acids: chloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid (DCA), trichloroacetic acid (TCA)
      • Chlorobenzene
      • Chloroketones
      • Chlorophenols
      • Chloropicrin
      • Chlorothalonil
      • Chlorpyrifos
      • Chlorsulfuron
      • Chromium
      • Clopyralid
      • Colour (True)
      • Copper
      • Cyanide
      • Cyanogen chloride
      • Cyfluthrin, Beta-cyfluthrin
      • Cypermethrin isomers
      • Cyprodinil
      • 2,4-D [(2,4-Dichlorophenoxy) acetic acid]
      • DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-di-(4-chlorophenyl) ethane)
      • Deltamethrin
      • Diazinon
      • Dicamba
      • Dichlorobenzenes
      • Dichloroethanes: 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane
      • Dichloroethenes: 1,1-dichloroethene (1,1-DCE), 1,2-dichloroethene (1,2-DCE)
      • Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)
      • 1,3-Dichloropropene
      • Dichlorprop/Dichlorprop-P
      • Dichlorvos
      • Diclofop-methyl
      • Dicofol
      • Diflubenzuron
      • Dimethoate
      • Diquat (ion), Diquat dibromide
      • Dissolved oxygen
      • Disulfoton
      • Diuron
      • 2,2-DPA
      • Endosulfan
      • Endothal
      • Epichlorohydrin
      • EPTC
      • Esfenvalerate
      • Ethion
      • Ethoprophos
      • Ethylbenzene
      • Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA)
      • Etridiazole
      • Fenamiphos
      • Fenarimol
      • Fenchlorphos
      • Fenitrothion
      • Fenthion
      • Fenvalerate
      • Fipronil
      • Flamprop-methyl
      • Fluometuron
      • Fluoride
      • Flupropanate
      • Formaldehyde
      • Glyphosate
      • Haloacetonitriles
      • Haloxyfop
      • Hardness (as calcium carbonate)
      • Heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide
      • Hexachlorobutadiene
      • Hexazinone
      • Hydrogen sulfide, Sulfide
      • Imazapyr
      • Iodine, Iodide
      • Iprodione
      • Iron
      • Lanthanum
      • Lead
      • Lindane
      • Maldison (Malathion)
      • Mancozeb
      • Manganese
      • MCPA
      • Mercury
      • Metaldehyde
      • Metham
      • Methidathion
      • Methiocarb
      • Methomyl
      • Methyl bromide
      • Metiram
      • Metolachlor/s-Metolachlor
      • Metribuzin
      • Metsulfuron-methyl
      • Mevinphos
      • Molinate
      • Molybdenum
      • Monochloramine
      • Naphthalophos
      • Napropamide
      • Nicarbazin
      • Nickel
      • Nitrate and nitrite
      • Nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)
      • N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)
      • Norflurazon
      • Omethoate
      • Organotins: dialkyltins, tributyltin oxide
      • Oryzalin
      • Oxamyl
      • Paraquat
      • Parathion
      • Parathion-methyl
      • Pebulate
      • Pendimethalin
      • Pentachlorophenol
      • Per-fluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
      • Permethrin
      • pH
      • Picloram
      • Piperonyl butoxide
      • Pirimicarb
      • Pirimiphos methyl
      • Plasticisers
      • Polihexanide
      • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
      • Profenofos
      • Promecarb
      • Propachlor
      • Propanil
      • Propargite
      • Propazine
      • Propiconazole
      • Propyzamide
      • Pyrasulfotole
      • Pyrazophos
      • Pyroxsulam
      • Quintozene
      • Radionuclides, Specific Alpha and Beta Emitting
      • Radium (radium-226 and radium-228)
      • Radon-222
      • Selenium
      • Silica
      • Silver
      • Simazine
      • Sodium
      • Spirotetramat
      • Styrene (vinylbenzene)
      • Sulfate
      • Sulprofos
      • Taste and Odour
      • Temephos
      • Temperature
      • Terbacil
      • Terbufos
      • Terbuthylazine
      • Terbutryn
      • Tetrachloroethene
      • Thiobencarb
      • Thiometon
      • Thiram
      • Tin
      • Toltrazuril
      • Toluene
      • Total dissolved solids
      • Triadimefon
      • Trichlorfon
      • Trichlorobenzenes
      • 1,1,1-Trichloroethane
      • Trichloroethylene (TCE)
      • Triclopyr
      • Trifluralin
      • Trihalomethanes (THMs)
      • Turbidity
      • Uranium
      • Vernolate
      • Vinyl chloride
      • Xylenes
      • Zinc
    • Drinking water treatment chemicals
      • Aluminium chlorohydrate
      • Aluminium sulfate (alum)
      • Ammonia
      • Ammonium sulfate
      • Calcium hydroxide
      • Calcium hypochlorite
      • Calcium oxide
      • Carbon, granulated activated
      • Carbon, powdered activated
      • Chlorine
      • Copper sulfate
      • Ferric chloride
      • Ferric sulfate
      • Hydrochloric acid
      • Hydrofluorosilicic acid
      • Hydrogen peroxide
      • Hydroxylated ferric sulfate
      • Ozone
      • Polyacrylamide
      • Polyaluminium chloride
      • Polyaluminium silica sulfates
      • Polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride
      • Potassium permanganate
      • Sodium aluminate
      • Sodium bicarbonate
      • Sodium carbonate
      • Sodium fluoride
      • Sodium fluorosilicate
      • Sodium hexametaphosphate
      • Sodium hydroxide
      • Sodium hypochlorite
      • Sodium silicate
      • Sodium tripolyphosphate
      • Sulfuric acid
      • Zinc orthophosphate
  • Appendices
    • Appendix 1: Additional guidance
      • A1.1 Introduction
      • A1.2 Water supply system analysis
      • A1.3 Assessment of water quality data
      • A1.4 Hazard identification
      • A1.5 Risk assessment
      • A1.6 Preventive measures and multiple barriers
      • A1.7 Critical control points
      • A1.8 Chlorination as an example of a critical control point
      • A1.9 References
    • Appendix 2: Further sources of information on drinking water quality management
      • A2.1 Drinking water quality management - general
      • A2.2 Catchment management and source water protection
      • A2.3 Groundwater protection
      • A2.4 Risk assessment and management
      • A2.5 System analysis and management process control and optimisation
      • A2.6 Monitoring and verification
      • A2.7 Materials and chemicals
      • A2.8 Incident and emergency management
      • A2.9 Employee training and awareness
      • A2.10 Research and development
      • A2.11 Documentation and reporting
      • A2.12 Community consultation and communication
      • A2.13 Hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP)
      • A2.14 Quality management continuous improvement
      • A2.15 Reference web sites
    • Appendix 3: Derivation of microbial treatment targets for enteric pathogens
      • A3.1 Introduction to Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA)
      • A3.2 Adopting the QMRA approach in the Guidelines
      • A3.3 QMRA framework for the calculation of log₁₀ reduction values (LRVs)
      • A3.4 Defining the health outcome target
      • A3.5 Selection of reference pathogens
      • A3.6 Level of reference pathogen contamination in Australian source waters
      • A3.7 Consumption volume of unheated (unboiled) water per person per day
      • A3.8 Dose response relationships
      • A3.9 Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY) burden per case
      • A3.10 Calculation of LRVs using the QMRA framework
      • A3.11 Interpretation of calculated LRVs for practical treatment guidance
      • A3.12 Understanding log₁₀ reductions
      • A3.13 References
  • Glossary
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Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 6 2011, v3.9

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