On 4 March, WaterRA’s Jacqueline Frizenschaf attended the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Water Industry Engagement Forum, bringing together representatives from water utilities, health departments, and researchers. The forum provided a key opportunity to discuss pressing water quality challenges and future research priorities.
One of the major topics under discussion was the NHMRC’s ongoing consultation on PFAS in Australian drinking water, a critical issue for the industry.
During the consultation, several research-related considerations emerged alongside policy feedback on source control, regulatory frameworks, financial implications, and social impacts. The selection of studies and methodologies was identified as a key factor influencing the derivation of health-based guideline values, with concerns that some approaches may be overly conservative while others may not be conservative enough. These findings align with observations made during WaterRA’s NEMP3 scientific review.
The pace of toxicological research in this field remains rapid, as demonstrated by a recently published IARC Monograph on perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). Additionally, gaps in knowledge regarding appropriate monitoring programs, as well as concerns about testing and treatment capabilities, were highlighted. With further targeted reviews expected to conclude in the coming months, the final guideline is anticipated to be tabled with the NHMRC Council as early as April 2025. WaterRA continues to provide support to NHMRC on research-related aspects of this process, including sharing recently completed State of Knowledge reports on PFAS.
You can follow the consultation process and key updates here.
What’s next?
The forum also highlighted several high-priority topics for future updates as part of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) information packages, including:
- Disinfection byproducts
- Fluoride in drinking water
- Cyanobacteria, including β-Methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA)
- Contaminants of emerging concern
- Opportunistic pathogens
Recognising these ongoing challenges, NHMRC has committed to prioritising these topics in future discussions, ensuring utilities have the latest research and guidance to support safe and sustainable water management.
If you haven’t already, you may also want to check out the most recent ADWG guideline updates from December 2024, available here.
Want to know more?
WaterRA continues to support research on PFAS and other emerging contaminants, with completed, current, and proposed projects contributing to a stronger evidence base for water utilities and regulators. If you’d like more details from the forum or to discuss any of these topics further, reach out to Jacqueline Frizenschaf.
Stay tuned for further updates as NHMRC progresses this important work!