SAWMILL SETTLEMENT AND MERRIJIG| 24-27 March 2021 I Issue resolved
LIFTING of Boil Water Notice for Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig – 10am Saturday 27 March
Goulburn Valley Water advises that the Boil Water Notice, issued on Wednesday 24 March, has been lifted as of 10am Saturday 27 March and there are no restrictions remaining on the normal uses of drinking water supplied to Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig. This action has been taken following consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services. Independent laboratory testing results over the last two days have showed no contamination in the water supply system.
GVW acted promptly on Wednesday 24 March to issue the Boil Water Notice for Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig customers following the determination that, as a result of heavy rainfall, the water may not be safe for customers to use for drinking and food preparation. A widespread investigation of the potential source of contamination was initiated.
Repairs were made to one of the water system storage after the inspection revealed a minor crack in the roof. We believe the rainfall over the last few days has led to contamination of the water in this storage.
Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig customers can be assured that the water is safe for all drinking, washing and food preparation purposes. There may be the faint smell and taste of chlorine in the water supply over the next few days as the water treated at a higher disinfection level is delivered through the system.
Residents should run water through their taps for 2-3 minutes when first used to ensure that any contaminated water is flushed from their plumbing. Owners and managers of large buildings should ensure that their entire system is flushed and that storage tanks are drained and refilled. can contact Goulburn Valley Water’s 24 hour Customer Service Centre on 1800 454 500 if advice is required.
Special thanks are extended to our customers for their patience and co-operation over the last three days. We are sincerely sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Please communicate this information to others in your household and the community.
Customers are welcome to provide feedback to GVW on our performance during this incident at: mail@gvwater.vic.gov.au
For more information please contact Goulburn Valley Water on 1800 454 500
Update 3.30 pm 26 March
The Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig Boil Water Notice remains in place.
Water testing results received this afternoon show that we are starting to resolve the water quality issue. We sampled the water supply again today and will receive these results in the morning. If the test results are clear, we are hopeful that the Boil Water Notice will be lifted tomorrow - this decision will be made in consultation with the Department of Health.
Reticulation network flushing finished at midday today.
Customers can continue accessing drinking water supplies between 7.30am and 7.30pm at the Merrijig Water Treatment Plant, located on the corner of Mt Buller and Carters Roads. Bottled water is available, and a water tanker is onsite – please bring clean suitable containers to fill.
We thank everyone for their continued cooperation and support. We are sincerely sorry for the inconvenience.
Update 4.30pm 25 March
The Boil Water Notice remains in place as water quality issues conitune in Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig. At this stage we are still not able to guarantee the water supplied to Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig residents is safe to drink.
Please continue to boil water prior to drinking, preparing beverages, washing, and preparing food, preparing baby formula, brushing teeth, and making ice.
An inspection revealed a minor crack in the roof of one of the Water Treatment Plant storages. We believe the rainfall over the last few days has led to contamination of the water in this storage. Repair work has been completed on the storage.
We continue to flush the reticulation network – this may lead to some pressure fluctuations in the supply system but will finish at 5pm today and resume at 8.30am tomorrow.
We have increased disinfection of the water supply and are undertaking additional water sampling.
Customers can access alternative drinking water supplies at the Merrijig Water Treatment Plant, located on the corner of Mt Buller and Carters Roads. This supply is available between 7.30am and 7.30pm
We have a limited supply of bottled drinking water available and a tanker onsite to fill containers brought by customers. Please bring your own clean suitable containers to the site to fill.
Drinking water will continue to be tankered from Mansfield to supply the Merrijig Primary School and Pinnacle Valley Resort.
Our priority remains to restore a safe water supply to our customers, and we will advise residents as soon as the water is safe to drink.
The Boil Water Notice is still likely to remain in place for at least the next couple of days.
Again, we are sorry for any inconvenience and thank everyone for your patience.
We’ll keep updating customers via our website, social media, and SMS. If you are a customer and want to register your number for SMS call our 24-hour Customer Service Centre on 1800 454 500.
Update 10.30am 25 March
Water quality issues continue in Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig. At this stage we are not able to guarantee the water supplied to Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig residents is fit for human consumption.
The Boil Water Notice remains in place.
Customers must continue to boil water prior to drinking, preparing beverages, washing and preparing food, preparing baby formula, brushing teeth and making ice.
Repair work has been completed on the water storage which may have been the source of contamination.
We are taking the following actions today to resolve the problem:
- Flushing and cleaning of the reticulation network – this may lead to some pressure fluctuations in the supply system;
- Increasing the level of chlorine for disinfection;
- Follow up water quality sampling in the storages and reticulation system to establish the quality of water being supplied to customers.
Alternative water supplies are available between 7.30am and 7.30pm at the Merrijig Water Treatment Plant located on the corner of Mt Buller and Carters Roads.
We have limited bottled water supplies (6 bottles per household). A tanker is onsite to fill containers brought by customers. We encourage all customers to take your own clean suitable containers to the site to fill.
Water has been tankered from Mansfield to supply Merrijig Primary School and Pinnacle Valley Resort.
Goulburn Valley Water will advise customers in Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig when water is fit for human consumption.
The Boil Water Notice is likely to remain in place for at least the next couple of days.
We apologise for the inconvenience and thank the community for their continuing patience.
We’ll continue to keep customers updated on our website, social media and via SMS. If you are a customer and want to register your number call our 24-hour Customer Service Centre on 1800 454 500.
5.10pm 24 March
Goulburn Valley Water in consultation with the Department of Health has issued advice for customers in Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig to boil their water before using it for drinking and food preparation.
Monitoring of the Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig water supply system has indicated the presence of bacteria. This has resulted in GVW not being able to guarantee that the water supplied to Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig is of a quality fit for human consumption.
Customers should boil water prior to drinking, preparing beverages, washing and preparing food, preparing baby formula, brushing teeth and making ice.
To ensure water is safe for consumption:
- Heat water until a continuous and rapid stream of air-bubbles is produced from the bottom of a pan or kettle (kettles with automatic shut-off switches are suitable);
- Allow water to cool before use;
- Store water in a clean, closed container for later use; and
- Caution should be taken to prevent scalding from boiling water.
Unboiled water can be used for showering and bathing, flushing toilets, washing dishes and clothes and garden watering.
Consumption of unboiled water may lead to diarrhoea, cramps, headaches or other gastro like symptoms. If you are concerned that you may have been affected by contaminated water please contact your local doctor and advise them of this notice.
Goulburn Valley Water are taking the following actions to resolve the problem:
- Arranging alternate water supplies for customers.
- Increasing the level of chlorine for disinfection;
- Follow up water quality sampling in the storages and reticulation system to establish the quality of water being supplied to customers.
- Flushing and cleaning of the reticulation network;
- Repairing the water storage which may have been the source of contamination;
Alternative water sources are available at the Merrijig Water Treatment Plant located on the corner of Mt Buller and Carters Roads. We have limited bottled water supplies (6 bottles per household). A tanker is onsite to fill containers brought by customers. We encourage all customers to take their own containers to the site for filling. Aletrnative water supplies will be available between 7.30am and 7.30pm.
Goulburn Valley Water will advise customers in Sawmill Settlement and Merrijig when water is fit for human consumption.