Water supply & quality

We aim to supply you with water that is:

• reliable and continuous
• safe to drink, consistent with National Health and Medical Research Council Guidelines
• free from objectionable taste and odour.

If you have any concerns about water quality, please contact us.

We will provide a water supply to meet your reasonable needs, with a minimum flow rate as shown in the table below:

Please note that:

• single houses usually have a water service pipe of 20mm diameter
• the flow rate for a 20mm water service pipe is measured at the tap at the water meter
• otherwise, the flow rate is measured at the outlet of your property service pipe. For safety reasons, this should only be done by Council or a licensed plumber.

We may provide you with less than the minimum flow rate if:

• there is a planned or unplanned interruption to your water supply
• there is water shortage due to a drought, peak summer demand, or unavoidable cause.

We find that complaints about dirty water often occur when customers’ water pipes on their property have become old and rusted inside. Your plumber can help you in this situation.

We aim to supply you with a sewerage service which is reliable and continuous and is operated in an environmentally responsible manner, with minimal odours.

Sewer overflows

Where a sewer overflow occurs on your property because of a failure in our system, we will act to minimise the damage and inconvenience and clean up the affected area as quickly as possible. Please contact us and we will endeavour to help you further if you are not completely satisfied with the standard of the clean-up. 

Sewer blockages

If your sewer becomes blocked and the blockage is between the property boundary and the main, Council will clear the blockage free of charge, if there is an inspection opening near the property boundary.

Blockages which occur inside the property are your responsibility; you will have to pay the plumber’s costs.

Tenants may be able to claim this cost from their landlord under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010.

We will accept liquid trade waste only when it is safe to do so and you have an agreement with us.

We will give you two working days’ notice of our intention to interrupt, postpone or limit water or sewerage services to your property for planned maintenance works. We will also advise you how long the service will be interrupted. 

Unplanned interruption

Council will ensure there are no more than five unplanned interruptions to your water supply and no more than three unplanned interruptions to your sewerage service in any year.

In the event of an emergency or an unplanned interruption to your water supply or sewerage service, we will try to contact you if access is required to your property to carry out repairs to the water main or sewer.

Kempsey Shire Council Water Services prioritises the response to water and sewerage systems failure that may occur from time to time.

For water supply services these are:

Priority 1
Response times: 1 hour (business hours) / 2 hours (after hours)

• Pump station failure
• Water Treatment Plant malfunction
• Valve failure
• Major main break
• Failure of property connection

Priority 2
Response times: 2 hours (business hours) / 4 hours (after hours)

• Minor main break
• Leaking property connection
• Telemetry failure
• Partial valve failure

Priority 3
Response time: 1 working day

• Leak from water main
• Leak from hydrant
• Partial failure of property connection

Priority 4
Response time: within 2 weeks

• Minor problem or complaint which can be dealt with at a time convenient to customer and Council - for example, a minor leak in a water service

For sewerage services these are:

Priority 1
Response times: 1 hour (business hours) / 2 hours (after hours)

• Break, collapse, blockage, overloading of system, failure of pumping station

Priority 2
Response times: 2 hours (business hours) / 4 hours (after hours)

• Cracked pipe or partial blockage of the sewer

Priority 3
Response time: 1 working day

• Sudden extra hydraulic load which backs up but then clears itself
• Partial main blockage
• Partial house service blockage
• Broken junction connection

Priority 4
Response time: within 2 weeks

• A minor problem or complaint which can be dealt with at a time convenient to customer and Council - for example, adjustments to manholes

This is a test to find out how acidic or alkaline the water is. Fluctuations in these levels can lead to corrosiveness, scale build-up on pipes and fixtures, and metallic or alkali tasting water. 

Hard water is formed when water percolates through deposits of limestone, chalk or gypsum, which are largely made up of calcium and magnesium carbonates, bicarbonates and sulphates. Hard water can prevent lathering of soap and form scale on pipes. A build-up of scale can restrict the flow of water in pipes and make the water visibly cloudy. 

This is a measure of the cloudiness or haziness of a water supply caused by micro particles such as silt and sediment, organic compounds and algae. High turbidity can cause increased costs for water treatment processing and degradation of aquatic life.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring element in water, typically at low concentrations. Fluoride is added to drinking water for improved dental health, as endorsed by the National Health and Medical Research Council and NSW Health.

Nutrients are tested as these are a good indicator of pollution from fertilisers and sewerage. Mineral compounds such as metals can occur naturally in water or be present as a result of activities around the water source within the catchment. The corrosion of pipes may also leach metals into the water.

E. coli bacteria are found in large numbers in the faeces of humans and warm-blooded animals. Known as ‘faecal coliforms’, they are an effective indicator of sewerage or animal waste pollution and the presence of other potentially harmful bacteria.