Health & Special needs
Hunter Water’s aim is to provide our customers with good quality drinking water.
The drinking water supplied to customers has been treated to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
We have a comprehensive process that ensures we supply good quality drinking water that meets Australian guidelines – we test and monitor water quality at every stage of the supply system – we take samples:
- in the catchments
- after water is treated
- in distribution pipes
- at over 600 customers taps.
Water is tested for Cryptosporidium and Giardia according to a water quality monitoring plan agreed by NSW Health.
Hunter Water works closely with NSW Health to ensure that all current and emerging issues associated with drinking water quality are identified and assessed.
Home haemodialysis
Hunter Water understands that some customers have medical needs that mean they need to use large amounts of water at home, especially those using haemodialysis machines.
To help you manage this, we provide a free water allowance of 100,000 litres per annum (100 kilolitres every four months).
How to receive the free allowance
When you start dialysis treatment at home, your dialysis centre will ask permission to forward your account details to Hunter Water. This information will greatly assist us in providing your allowance.
The allowance is credited directly to the property owner’s account with Hunter Water. You can check that the allowance has been provided by referring to the notes in the Customer Information Section of your bill.
If you are a tenant in a strata unit and pay for your own water use, please discuss the allowance with the property owner or strata manager.
If you change address, make sure that your dialysis centre informs Hunter Water.
Interruptions to water supply
To make sure our customers have a good quality water supply, Hunter Water must occasionally change treatment practices or carry out maintenance work. We will let you know in advance of any planned interruption to the water supply, in the same way that we communicate to all of our customers.
If an unplanned interruption to the water supply occurs (such as a water main break) where it is not possible to give advance notice, we will fix the problem as soon as possible. If this happens, please follow the training provided by your dialysis centre.
Changes to water quality
We will inform your local dialysis centre and NSW Health of any significant changes to water quality that might impact on your treatment. Your dialysis centre will advise you about how to manage this change.