The change involves a minor increase to the pH level in Seqwater’s water treatment process to further extend and optimise disinfection performance, particularly during Queensland’s warmer months.  

It will also enhance the alkalinity of drinking water and help reduce corrosion in the water network.  

Seqwater Executive General Manager Operations, Fiore Zulli, said the minor adjustment forms part of Seqwater’s ongoing commitment to delivering safe, reliable and resilient drinking water for South East Queensland. 

“The pH level will increase from approximately 7.8 to a target of 8.4, remaining within the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines,” said Mr Zulli.  

“Most customers won’t notice a difference in the taste or smell of their drinking water and the optimisation will help strengthen the overall treatment process year-round,” he said.  

The change does not affect the safety of the drinking water, however some customers and specialised industries including dialysis providers, hospitals, food and beverage manufacturers and people who manage aquariums or aquaculture may need to make minor adjustments to their equipment. 

Seqwater and local water service providers, including Urban Utilities, Unitywater and Logan Water, have been working closely together throughout the planning process, ensuring customers are well informed and prepared ahead of the adjustment. 

To find out more about what this change means for you, please contact your local water service provider.

Key facts: 

• The pH level of a liquid tells us how ‘acidic’ or ‘alkaline’ a substance is, on a scale from 0 to 14.
• Substances with a pH of less than 7 are acidic, 7 is neutral, while those greater than 7 are alkaline. A pH level of 7 means the substance is ‘neutral’.
• Everyday drinks vary greatly in pH – soft drinks are about pH 2.5, orange juice about pH 3.8, milk about pH 6.7 and many bottled spring or mineral waters over pH 8.
• Australian tap water varies in pH between about 6 and 10.8, as does bottled water.
• Seqwater regularly makes minor adjustments to the drinking water supply to enhance its quality in line with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. This is because water is a natural product and its chemistry is influenced by changing factors such as climate, rainfall, vegetation, land use, geology and water flow in our catchments.
• Seqwater is the bulk water provider for South East Queensland and delivers water to providers including Urban Utilities, Unitywater and Logan Water that is rigorously treated, monitored and tested.
• The providers distribute water to homes and businesses. They actively manage their networks to maintain water quality, and also monitor and test the water to ensure it meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, which are determined by the National Health and Medical Research Council.   

For more information: 

Visit our continuous improvement page.