Bore water screening program
Information on the bore water per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) screening program.
Between April and June 2025 the NSW Environment Protection Authority, with the support of NSW Health, Water agencies and the councils/local water utilities, lead a private bore water screening program for PFAS in 4 affected catchments of NSW.
These areas had been identified by previous groundwater testing conducted by all 83 local water utilities in NSW for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water supplies. This testing identified 4 utilities where some samples of town supplies were equal to or above Australian Drinking Water Guidelines for PFAS at the time of sampling.
The relevant townships and 4 local water utilities are:
- Bungendore, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council
- Narrabri, Narrabri Shire Council
- Tarcutta, Riverina Water County Council
- Warialda, Gwydir Shire Council.
The EPA bore testing program offered free groundwater testing in the 4 townships and was available to private bore owners on a opt-in basis. Bore owners were given precautionary advice about use of their bore water based on sampling results for their bores and water utilities were given information about the extent of PFAS in the drinking water supply aquifer.
Samples were analysed for 42 types of PFAS. Australian Drinking Water Guidelines apply to 4 of these.
Importantly at the time of testing advice from all local councils/utilities was that reticulated town water was safe to drink and use at all of these locations.
The results of this program may be used to inform longer term strategies for managing PFAS in these drinking water supplies and complements existing monitoring undertaken by the local water utility. The EPA will continue to work with the regulatory authorities including NSW Health, Water agencies and the councils/local water utilities to ensure the security of drinking water supplies.
Guidance on the use of bore water for landowners is available from NSW Health's groundwater webpage.
PFAS with guideline values that we tested for
- PFHxS – Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (200ng/L)
- PFOS – Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (8ng/L)
- PFOA – Perfluorooctanoic acid (30ng/L)
- PFBS – Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (1,000ng/L).
Refer to the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
Private bore water summary of results
We collected groundwater samples from private bores in March 2025 based on registrations of interest through the Queanbeyan-Palerang Council website.
Nine groundwater bore samples were collected from private properties outside of Bungendore township and some distance from the Bungendore drinking water bore field.
PFAS were not detected at any of the properties above the Australian Drinking Water Guideline.
Additional results:
- PFAS were detected at levels below the Australian Drinking Water Guideline for PFAS at 3 properties.
- Other PFAS that do not have guideline values were detected at these 3 properties.
- No PFAS were detected in bore water from the other 6 properties.
We collected groundwater samples from bores in May 2025 based on registrations of interest through the Narrabri Shire Council website.
Samples were collected at 20 private bores from 19 properties. Most sample locations were outside Narrabri township and some distance from the town drinking water bores.
PFAS were not detected at any of the properties above the Australian Drinking Water Guideline.
Additional results:
- PFAS were detected at levels below the Australian Drinking Water Guideline at 4 properties.
- Other PFAS that do not have guideline values were also detected at 2 of these properties.
We collected groundwater samples from private bores in June 2025 based on registrations of interest through the City of Wagga Wagga Council website.
Samples were collected at 9 private bores from 8 properties outside Tarcutta township. These properties range in distance from 1km to 14.5km from the town drinking water bores.
PFAS were not detected at any of the properties above the Australian Drinking Water Guideline.
Additional results:
- PFAS were detected at 3 of the 8 properties sampled below the Australian Drinking Water Guideline.
We collected groundwater samples from bores in April and May 2025 based on registrations of interest through the Gwydir Shire Council website or when contacted by council staff.
Groundwater samples were collected from 37 private bores at 35 properties from across the eastern half of Warialda, with fewer samples collected in the western half of the town.
PFAS were detected at 5 properties above the Australian Drinking Water Guideline.
Additional results:
- PFAS were not detected in 16 bores across 15 properties.
- PFAS were detected at levels below the Australian Drinking Water Guideline values in 16 bores across 15 properties.
Other PFAS that do not have guideline values were also detected at some properties.
Bores with PFAS levels that exceeded the Australian Drinking Water Guideline values are located primarily in the north and east of Warialda. Bores with PFAS detections are located primarily in the eastern half of Warialda.