Chief Minister Michael Gunner has flown into Katherine saying he is happy to drink the water here.
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A media scrum formed outside the Katherine Airport as Mr Gunner flew in on a chartered plane to chair a meeting of the Aboriginal subcommittee of cabinet.
The Chief Minister upset many residents of Katherine earlier in the month when he said he was “happy” to drink Katherine’s PFAS contaminated water.
PFAS chemicals contained in firefighting foams used at the Tindal RAAF Base between 1998 and 2004 have leached into neighbouring bores and the town’s drinking water.
The Katherine water treatment plant uses a mix of Katherine River supplies and bore water to produce the town’s supplies.
Those treatment bores have PFAS concentrations above the new Australia safe drinking standards.
“I was answering a question,” Mr Gunner said, in reply to questions on whether his reply had been insensitive to Katherine residents who had been drinking contaminated for years already and possibly years into the future.
“I am assured the water in Katherine is safe to drink,” Mr Gunner said today.
While not apologising for his comments, Mr Gunner said he had not been flippant with his remarks and repeated “I was answering a question”.
Mr Gunner said he was assured water restrictions and other government water saving measures would enable water authorities to produce safe drinking water for Katherine through the peak use periods of September and October.
Mr Gunner said he was particularly concerned not to alarm residents and tourists, especially grey nomads, that they needed to drink bottled water.
“I will be drinking the water here before I leave here today,” Mr Gunner said.
He said he was confident with the support of the Department of Defence, Katherine would continue to have safe drinking water through the peak months.
In answer to questions from Katherine Times about whether his government had a “Plan B” if testing found PFAS levels had risen over the safety standard, Mr Gunner said he was confident it would not.
He said his government had not discussed the provision of any other emergency water supplies for Katherine if contamination levels rose.
Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
