Reports of strong chlorine smells to tap water across Aura, Little Mountain and throughout Caloundra have been investigated by Unity Water and residents have been reassured it is safe to consume.

Unity water has investigated the water supply after local residents complained of an “onion” stench coming from their taps and drinking water that tasted like it “came from the pool”.

But local resident Nigel Bland has called for independent testing of the water supply.

“I personally think it needs to be tested independently,” he said.

“Last night we went for a meal at a Chinese restaurant in Caloundra and the water was that bad – it tasted of chlorine.

“My tap water often has a super strong chlorine smell.”

Unity Water Executive Manager of Strategic Engagement, Joshua Zugajev, said there had been no change to the disinfection process applied at Seqwater’s Ewen Maddock and Landers Shute treatment plants which supply water.

“Chlorine is used in water treatment processes around the world to protect public health and ensure water is safe to drink, destroying bacteria and other pathogens that can be present in source water,” Mr Zugajev said.

“Unitywater conducts more than 110,000 scientific tests every year and these confirm drinking water supplied through our networks continues to comply with the rigorous standards of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

“Perceptions of chlorine in drinking water vary between people and their palates, and can be reduced by chilling, adding a slice of lemon or leaving a container of water to stand uncovered overnight in the fridge for the chlorine to dissipate.

“Anyone with concerns about the quality of their drinking water should report these to Unitywater in the first instance to ensure they can be investigated appropriately.”

Detailed water quality monitoring results are available to search by postcode at unitywater.com.

Sunshine Coast Water Purifiers owner and filter technician of more than 28 years, Steve Ebsworth, had 11 jobs booked in the Caloundra West area on the day The Aura Post contacted him for comment.

He works in filtration all across Australia and said the chlorine content in water had gone up “across the whole country”.

He said water treatment plants often overcompensated chlorine content in drinking water to counteract certain bacteria.

“Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba the water treatment plants are very aware of needing to counteract, and that might jump the chlorine content up at times, if they feel there is risk of it,” Mr Ebsworth said.

“It is very rare and you generally don’t get it through drinking water, however if you happened to breathe it in it will cause death, so the treatment plants are on high alert for serious ones like that.”

Mr Ebsworth said he liked to see chlorine content at 0.8 – 1.2parts per million (ppm), but he has seen household drinking water on the Sunshine Coast test at well over 2.0ppm.

“If your water smells like chlorine you may as well be drinking from the pool,” he said.

“But you actually absorb more in the shower than you do drinking it.

“A five minute shower is the equivalent of drinking 12L of chlorinated water in terms of how much you take in.”

Mr Ebsworth said the first step for people concerned about their drinking water was to install a kitchen filter to ensure their drinking water was free of contaminants and heavy metals.

“Usually where people start is to install a kitchen filter and then go from there, working their way up to a whole house system so that they’re showering in filtered water also.”

“That way you know, no matter what tap you turn on in your house, your water is high quality and free of contaminants and chemicals.”

For more information phone Steve on 0401 758 637.