Water treatment
Albury’s drinking water comes from the Murray River and goes through a carefully managed treatment process to make sure it’s clean, safe, and great tasting before it reaches your tap.
Ensuring Safe, High-Quality Water
AlburyCity treats water to remove impurities, disinfects it to protect against harmful microorganisms, and adds fluoride to support dental health, as required under State legislation. The treated water is then transported and stored within a closed, carefully maintained distribution system, ensuring high-quality drinking water is delivered to every tap.
We also have a comprehensive water quality monitoring program. Samples are routinely collected from raw water sources, treatment plants, and within the distribution system, and analysed by a National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited laboratory to ensure your water meets strict health and quality standards.
Albury Water Treatment Plant
Albury Water Treatment Plant treats water from the Murray River below Hume Dam.
The plant uses advanced treatment and strict quality controls to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Treatment process include the following:
- Coagulation/flocculation
- DAF (Dissolved Air Floatation)
- Filtration
- pH correction
- Disinfection
- Fluoridation
- PAC (Powder Activated Carbon)
Our Water Treatment Plant uses advanced technology and strict quality controls to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
Water is taken from the Murray River through screened intakes that remove large debris such as leaves and sticks. It is then pumped to the Water Treatment Plant to begin the treatment process.
During coagulation, a small amount of aluminium sulfate (alum) and/or polymer is added to untreated (raw) water. When mixed in, these substances help very fine particles of dirt and natural material to bind together.
As the particles join, they form larger, clumps called flocs. These flocs are easier to remove from the water through DAF and filtration processes.
In this step, instead of settling to the bottom, the flocs are removed using fine air bubbles. Tiny bubbles are introduced into the water, where they attach to the flocs.
As the bubbles rise, they lift the flocs to the surface, forming a layer that can be skimmed off and removed.
This process is particularly effective at removing lighter particles and algae commonly found in river water.
In this step, water passes through filters to remove any remaining particles.
The filters are made up of layers of sand and gravel, and anthracite. As the water flows through these layers, fine particles are trapped within the filter material. This process further improves water clarity and supports effective disinfection.
The filters are routinely cleaned through backwashing, which removes the trapped particles and prepares the filters for continued operation.
In this step, water is disinfected before it enters the distribution system.
Chlorine is added to destroy any disease-causing microorganisms that may be present. It is a highly effective disinfectant and helps ensure the water is safe to drink.
A small residual amount of chlorine remains in the water as it travels through the distribution system. This provides ongoing protection against possible microbial contamination.
In this step, lime is added to the filtered water to adjust the pH and stabilise the naturally soft water.
This helps reduce corrosion within the distribution system and in household plumbing.
By improving water stability, this process helps protect pipes and maintain water quality as it travels to customers.
In this step, fluoride (sodium fluorosilicate) is added to the treated water supply. The level is carefully adjusted to an optimal concentration to help reduce tooth decay and support dental health in the community.
Fluoridation is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the NSW Fluoridation of Public Water Supplies Act 1957.
In this step, powdered activated carbon (PAC) is added to the water.
PAC binds with certain naturally occurring compounds in the raw water that can cause taste and odour issues, as well as some contaminants that are difficult to remove.
The PAC, along with the compounds it has captured, is then removed from the water during the filtration process.
This helps improve the water’s taste and smell, ensuring it meets the high standards expected by our customers.
After treatment, water is stored in secure reservoirs before it is delivered to the community.
From these reservoirs, water flows through an extensive network of pipes to homes, schools, and businesses throughout Albury.
Storing water in secure reservoirs ensures a reliable supply and maintains water quality until it reaches customers.
How water is treated
Albury’s drinking water comes from the Murray River and goes through a carefully managed treatment process to make sure it’s clean, safe, and great tasting before it reaches your tap.
Our Water Treatment Plant uses advanced technology and strict quality controls to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
1. Water intake
Raw water is drawn from the Murray River through screened intakes that remove large debris such as leaves and sticks.
2. Coagulation and flocculation
A coagulant (usually alum) is added to the water. This helps fine particles, dirt, and organic matter bind together into larger flocs that are easier to remove.
3. Dissolved air flotation (DAF)
Tiny air bubbles attach to the flocs and lift them to the surface, where they form a layer of sludge that is skimmed off. This process is highly effective for removing light particles and algae commonly found in river water.
4. Filtration
The clarified water passes through filters made of anthracite, garnet, and other materials. These filters trap any remaining fine particles and microorganisms.
Filters are regularly backwashed using clean water and air to remove trapped material. The backwash water is then safely treated before disposal.
5. Disinfection
Chlorine is added to destroy any remaining bacteria, viruses, or pathogens, ensuring the water is microbiologically safe.
6. pH correction
Lime is added to adjust pH levels, helping to protect pipes and improve taste.
7. Fluoridation
A small amount of fluoride, in the form of sodium silica fluoride (Na2SiF6), is added to help prevent tooth decay, in accordance with NSW Health guidelines.
8. Powder activated carbon
Powder activated carbon is added intermittently to assist with manganese removal, taste and odour issues, and algae toxins in the raw water.
9. Storage and distribution
Treated water is stored in secure reservoirs before being pumped through a network of pipes to homes, schools, and businesses across Albury.
Operational Monitoring
Operational monitoring is key to keeping Albury’s drinking water safe, reliable, and great-tasting. It helps us maintain consistent water quality and prevents potential issues long before they could affect supply.
AlburyCity’s Water Treatment Team continuously oversees every stage of the treatment process. From chemical dosing and filtration to final water quality testing at your tap, each step is carefully checked to ensure your water meets the highest standards.
Our treatment plant also uses advanced automated systems that monitor water quality in real time. If any parameter moves outside strict limits, the system can automatically adjust the treatment process—or shut down if necessary—providing an extra layer of protection for the safety and reliability of Albury’s water supply.
Combined with compliance testing and risk-based sampling, these monitoring measures ensure that Albury’s water consistently meets both regulatory requirements and the expectations of our community.
What We Monitor
Our operators regularly assess key water quality and operational indicators, including:
- Turbidity (water clarity and filter performance)
- pH levels
- Chlorine concentration to maintain effective disinfection
- System flow rates and pressure
- Filter performance, including backwash cycles
All results are reviewed in real time through the plant’s control system. This enables operators to respond immediately to changes in river conditions — such as heavy rainfall or shifts in raw water quality — ensuring consistent delivery of safe, high-quality drinking water.
Operational monitoring helps us maintain consistent, high-quality drinking water and prevents potential issues long before they could affect supply. Combined with compliance testing and risk-based sampling, it ensures Albury’s water remains safe, reliable, and great-tasting.
NSW Health Compliance Monitoring
NSW Health oversees the management and monitoring of drinking water quality in NSW to protect public health. NSW Health oversees a comprehensive drinking water monitoring program that supports water suppliers in ensuring their water is safe and meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
This involves routine and verification monitoring to ensure water quality. Water quality is regularly tested for microbiological (e.g., bacteria) and
chemical parameters to confirm treated drinking water meets guideline values before and after treatment, and throughout the distribution system.
AlburyCity’s Risk-Based Monitoring
In addition to Operational Monitoring and NSW Health Compliance Monitoring, AlburyCity carries out a comprehensive program of risk-based monitoring.
This means we take extra samples at key locations based on identified risks. For example, we may increase monitoring during periods of high river flows, after maintenance or construction work, or in areas that are more sensitive to changes in water quality.
By targeting monitoring to times and locations where risks are highest, we can quickly detect and respond to any potential issues. This proactive
approach helps ensure that Albury’s drinking water remains safe, reliable, and consistently high quality all year round.
PFAS Chemicals
What are PFAS?
PFAS are manufactured chemicals that do not occur naturally in the environment. They have been widely used since the 1950s for everyday products. They are resistant to heat, stains, grease and water, so they were often used in items like non-stick cookware, firefighting foams, water-repelling fabrics, cleaning products and personal care products. PFAS are sometimes called, ‘forever chemicals’ because they do not easily break down in the
environment and tend to build up over time in the bodies of living organisms. As a result of their widespread use, PFAS have been found to be present in low levels in some surface water and groundwater around the world.
In August 2018, the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) were amended to incorporate two PFAS health-based guideline values for three PFAS chemicals. New health-based guideline levels have been released for four types of PFAS chemicals in drinking water. The guideline values are listed in the table below and indicate how much PFAS in drinking water a person can consume over a lifetime without any increased risk to their health.
PFAS in Drinking Water
The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines set health-based guideline values for certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. These guidelines are developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and are designed to protect public health over a lifetime of exposure.
These values are included in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and represent concentrations at or below which no appreciable health risk is expected over a lifetime of daily consumption.
NSW Health Arranged PFAS Test Results
AlburyCity participated in the NSW Health PFAS screening program for water supplies in NSW. Under the program water from Albury’s drinking water supply was tested for PFAS. Results can be seen in the table below, which shows all results are below the current guideline recommended values and below the detection level of the test.
*Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (2011)
**Note that the “Less than” in the results means that the test cannot measure the chemical below this value.
You can also visit the Australian Government PFAS Advice page to find who to contact about the most current advice in your location.
| PFAS CHemical | ADWG* Guideline | Test Date | Maximum Result | Compliance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 200 ng/L | 10 Dec 2024 | Less than 1.0 ng/L | Yes |
| PFHxS | 30 ng/L | 10 Dec 2024 | Less than 1.0 ng/L | Yes |
| PFOS | 8 ng/L | 10 Dec 2024 | Less than 1.0 ng/L | Yes |
| PFBS | 1000 ng/L | 10 Dec 2024 | Less than 1.0 ng/L | Yes |
How PFAS makes its way into the water cycle - see diagram below
