Table of updates
Minor consequential amendments to align the Guidelines to the September 2022 updated guidance on the microbial quality of drinking water, and other minor corrections.
Following the September 2022 update on the microbial quality of drinking water in Chapter 5 and Appendix 3 of the Guidelines, consequential amendments have been made in other sections of the Guidelines to ensure the updated guidance is applied consistently. Corrections have been made for minor errors in the explanatory text and footnotes in Chapter 5 and Appendix 3, regarding how the final log reduction values were reached. Other minor corrections in the Guidelines have been actioned to improve clarity and consistency (e.g. typographical errors, formatting errors, consistent terminology).
Notice of these proposed amendments were issued through Public Notices on the NHMRC website on 28 April 2023 and 22 December 2023. Further details on the minor amendments are provided in the Administrative Report for this update.
December 2024
3.9
Updated guidance on microbial quality of drinking water
Guidance on microbial health-based targets has been developed to assist water regulators and suppliers in better managing health risks from microorganisms found in drinking water. Information in Chapter 5 has been updated to reflect current best practice in managing health risks from microorganisms found in drinking water and Appendix 3 provides details on the derivation of microbial treatment targets for enteric pathogens.
September 2022
3.8
Updated guidance on radiological water quality
Information and terminology in Chapter 7, parts of Chapter 10, Information Sheet 2.2 and factsheets on radium, alpha and beta radionuclides, radon-222 and radiological aspects of the uranium factsheet have been updated to reflect current best practice in radiation protection and radiation measurement.
January 2022
3.7
Minor edits to correct errors in the Guidelines
The health-based guideline value for uranium has been rounded up from 0.017 to 0.02 mg/L to align with guidance on rounding in Chapter 6.
Replacement of missing arrows and bullet points in Information Sheets.
Correction of arrows in Figure A1.2 – Critical control point decision tree in Appendix A1.7 – Critical control points
January 2022
3.7
New guidance on short-term exposure values added to Chapter 9 (Section 9.12)
Guidance on short-term exposure values has been developed to assist water regulators and suppliers in managing instances where temporary drinking water contamination occurs, such as during extreme weather events.
March 2021
3.6
Development of a new Chemical Fact Sheet: Per-fluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
Health Based Guideline Values and a Fact Sheet on PFAS have been developed. These have been informed by a review conducted by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to determine Australian Tolerable Daily Intakes (TDIs) for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS).
August 2018
3.5
Development of a new Chemical Fact Sheet - lanthanum
Chemical Fact Sheet on lanthanum has been developed following a Secondary Notification risk assessment by the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme.
September 2017
3.4
Text added to Chapter 6
Addition of guidance on rounding for guideline values.
Addition of guidance on parent compounds and environmental transformation products.
Addition of guidance on the use of screening assays.
November 2016
3.3
Text added to Chapter 10
Addition of guidance for comparing analytical results with rounded guideline values.
November 2016
3.3
Minor amendments
Editorial changes have been made to correct minor errors, and update references.
November 2016
3.3
Removal of text from Chapter 5 – Microbial Quality of Drinking Water
Historical overview text removed, duplicative text removed.
Information on viruses deleted for consistency with other waterborne pathogen sections.
November 2016
3.3
Removal of Appendix 3 – National Water Quality Management Strategy
This Appendix is significantly out of date and has been deleted.
November 2016
3.3
Removal of Appendix 4 – Process Report
This Appendix is the process report for review of the Guidelines prior to 2011. It has been published separately for historical purposes. References to Appendix 4 in the body of the Guidelines has been deleted.
November 2016
3.3
Text added to Chapter 6
Minor amendments to Chapter 8, sections 8.5 to 8.8, and Table 8.2.
Interim guideline values for chemicals that have been detected in drinking water.
Clarification of approval process for new drinking water chemicals, and modifications to inconsistencies to section 8.5 to 8.8.
February 2016
3.2
Minor amendments to Chapters 8 and 10, Tables 8.4 and 10.5, Information Sheets 1.4, 1.6 and 2.1, and Fact Sheets on Campylobacter, Salmonella and Vibrio.
Editorial changes have been made to correct minor errors, provide further clarification and context, and update references and contact details.
March 2015
3.1
Review and update of three Chemical Fact Sheets – chloral hydrate, monochloramine and chlorine
Chemical Fact Sheets on chloral hydrate (originally endorsed in 1996), monochloramine (last endorsed in 2011) and chlorine (last endorsed in 2011) have been reviewed and updated following a review of recent literature, including the World Health Organization guidelines for drinking water quality and to correct a rounding error. The guideline value for chloral hydrate has changed. The equivalent guideline value for monochloramine as Cl2/L has changed, which also resulted in a consequential change to the chlorine Fact Sheet.
19 December 2014
3
Minor amendments to contents page and Table 10.5 in relation to changes to the Fact Sheets for chloral hydrate, monochloramine and chlorine
Editorial changes have been made to provide further clarification and update guideline values and naming conventions.
19 December 2014
3
Review and update of eight information sheets for water treatment operators on water disinfection. Includes: Introduction to water treatment, Overview of water disinfection, Disinfection with chlorine, Disinfection with chloramine, Disinfection with chlorine dioxide, Disinfection with ozone, Disinfection with ultra-violet light, Other disinfectant
These Information Sheets replace the previous Information Sheets which were developed in 2004 and were very general in nature. In revising the Information Sheets, the Water Quality Advisory Committee considered the information on water disinfection already included in the 2011 Guidelines, international standards including the WHO Drinking-water Guidelines, and reviewed the recent literature on water disinfection. This information was integrated to produce the revised Information Sheets on disinfection of drinking water, which include additional information on practical aspects of water disinfection.
13 December 2013
2
Review and update of four chemical Fact Sheets – benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes
Chemical Fact Sheets on Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylenes (originally endorsed in 1996) have been reviewed and updated following a review of recent literature, including the World Health Organization guidelines for drinking water quality. The guideline values for these chemicals have not been changed as a result of the review.
13 December 2013
2
New resource – Guidance for issuing and lifting a Boil Water Advisory
A new resource has been developed to assist health and environment department officials determine when to issue and lift boil water notices following a drinking water contamination incident. This document has been developed by the WQAC at the request of jurisdictions, following recent natural disasters which led to possible drinking water contamination.
13 December 2013
2
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