Cancer-linked 'forever chemicals' known as PFAS have been detected for the first time at numerous water filtration plants across Sydney.
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00:00New data from Sydney Water has demonstrated low levels of PFAS in Sydney's drinking water
00:07supply at several key sites including at Warragamba, Prospect Reservoir and Orchard Hills, as well
00:13as slightly higher levels at the Cascade Dam at Katoomba and Blackheath, as well as at
00:18North Richmond.
00:19The results have come from tests done in June and July of this year recently published on
00:24the Sydney Water website.
00:26They've been testing drinking water at Richmond for about five years, but have recently started
00:31testing at Cascade.
00:32Those results have shown 0.0147 micrograms per litre, below the Australian guidelines
00:39of 0.7 micrograms per litre.
00:42But the chemicals often used to make products heat-resistant and stain-resistant have received
00:48international concern, with the US changing its guidelines, stressing there is no acceptable
00:52level of exposure.
00:54Sydney Water has notified NSW Health of their findings and has said in a statement, monitoring
00:59of drinking water uses a risk-based approach and Sydney Water regularly tests for PFAS,
01:05including monthly monitoring in potentially impacted areas.
01:08The findings also come as a study from Western Sydney University has identified potentially
01:13high levels of the chemicals within platypus bodies found in NSW waterways.
01:18Eight bodies have been taken and analysed to have high levels of PFOS, which falls under
01:23the PFAS banner, in their livers.
01:26And it shows there are potentially high levels in aquatic environments.
01:30They're calling on more awareness and action in order to address these high levels of chemicals
01:35affecting waterways.