8.2 Scope and limit of application of this chapter

Chemicals used near water for purposes other than direct improvement of water quality are not considered as drinking water treatment chemicals. Such chemicals include fertilisers and other agricultural chemicals used in properties adjacent to water storages, herbicides used to reduce vegetation along waterways, and pesticides used to control mosquitoes and other disease vectors in water storages. Use of these chemicals near raw water sources should be carefully considered, and the risks associated with their use should be minimised to ensure that water quality and public health are not jeopardised. Further information on these chemicals is given in Section 6.3.3 and in the Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (NWQMS 2000).

This chapter does not cover the specialised chemicals used in water treatment for non-potable uses (e.g. chemicals used in industrial boilers and air conditioning cooling towers), nor does it cover the impact on water quality of materials in direct contact with water. Information on these chemicals and impacts is given in Australian Standards AS/NZS 3666.1:2002 Air handling and water systems of buildings – Microbial control – design, installation and commissioning; AS/NZS 5667.7:1998 Water quality – Guidance on sampling of water and steam in boiler plants; and AS/NZS 4020:2002 Testing of products for use in contact with drinking water respectively.

Information on occupational exposure to drinking water treatment chemicals resulting from their manufacture, transportation or use should be obtained from the manufacturer and Safety Data Sheets (SDS), or from the appropriate state or territory occupational health and safety authority (see Section 8.9).