Karmactive Staff
A water safety concern on the NSW Central Coast turned into a 24-hour alert when testing found harmful bacteria in the Terrigal Reservoir. The situation affected nearly 50,000 residents in nine local suburbs, but quick action by the Central Coast Council kept everyone safe.
“After talking with NSW Health, we decided to tell people to boil their water,” said David Farmer, the Council’s chief executive. He called the first test result “unusual” and immediately stopped water flow from the affected reservoir.
Residents in Terrigal, Erina, Erina Heights, Kincumber, Avoca Beach, North Avoca, Copacabana, MacMasters Beach, and Picketts Valley needed to boil their tap water before drinking it or using it for cooking. Parents received special instructions to be careful when cooling boiled water for children.
The news created a rush for bottled water at local shops. “We usually sell about eight cases a day, but this morning we sold 24 cases right away,” said Phil Borg, who runs a grocery store in Kincumber.
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The water concern became real for some residents. Leigh Rijff from Lisarow got sick after drinking tap water in Copacabana. “First came the hot flushes and sweating, then my stomach started hurting,” she said.
The problem came from E. coli, a type of bacteria that can make people sick. It often causes stomach pain and diarrhea, but can lead to more serious health issues, especially for people with weak immune systems. Farmer explained that these problems sometimes happen when an animal gets into a water reservoir and dies.
The Council worked quickly to fix the problem. They stopped using water from the affected reservoir, ran multiple tests, and stayed in close contact with health officials. By Wednesday afternoon at 2:48 PM, careful testing by an independent laboratory showed the water was safe again, and the Council lifted the boil water alert.
Throughout the alert, the Council kept residents informed with regular updates. This quick response and open communication helped keep everyone safe and showed how well the local water safety system works, even during unexpected problems.
