Water quality in a Central Australian community has improved following the installation of a long-awaited water treatment plant.
The Laramba Water Treatment Plant was officially opened on Wednesday, with the ceremonial ribbon cut by the Minister for Essential Services, Nunggubuyu woman Selena Uibo, and Central Desert Regional Council President Adrian Dixon.
This project is funded by the Territory government's $28 million commitment to address critical water supply infrastructure needs in remote Aboriginal communities that are experiencing water quality and security stress. Of that, $6.8 million was committed to water quality improvement in Laramba.
With a capacity of 360 kilolitres per day, the plant uses proven ion-exchange technology to treat the drinking water and reduce naturally occurring uranium to well below Australian Drinking Water Guideline (ADWG) Levels. The ADWG level for uranium is 0.02 milligram per litre (mg/L).
At Laramba, naturally occurring levels of uranium in the water levels historically range between 0.029 mg/L – 0.055 mg/L. Testing of the treated water through the Laramba plant indicates that uranium levels after treatment are almost undetectable at < 0.001 mg/L.
Since 2008 the community's more than 300 residents were aware their local bore water contained uranium but only realised the scale of the problem after NT Power and Water studied the drinking water closely in 2018, when data compiled found there were 0.046 milligrams of uranium per litre (mg/L) in the town's water supply; almost triple the level recommended in Australia's national guidelines.
Later in 2018 Laramba's residents took their landlords, the NT Department of Housing, to court to argue that they had a right to safe drinking water, ultimately losing the case in July, 2020, before the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
In May last year the Central Lands Council chief executive Lesley Turner said Laramba residents "are some of Australia's poorest people, forced to shell out $12 for a box of safe drinking water that barely fills a few billies each".
Minister Uibo, said having access to reliable drinking water in remote communities is a priority of the Territory Labor Government and that's why we invested $6.8 million in this project.
"Power and Water Corporation operate across 1.3 million square kilometres in some of the most challenging and diverse conditions in Australia and I congratulate them upon the completion of this project.
"It's exciting to be in Laramba to officially open the water treatment plant, which will benefit the local community for many years to come."
Member for Gwoja, Eastern Arrernte, Gurindji and Arabana man Chansey Paech, said the project provides a treatment solution for naturally occurring uranium in the groundwater that supplies the Laramba community.
"We are also furthering work to improve water quality in neighbouring communities, including Yuelamu and Yuendumu," he said.
NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the project is part of the government's $28 million program to improve water quality and supply infrastructure "to remote communities with the highest need".
