1Objective

The objective of these Regulations is to provide further for the supply of safe drinking water by—

(a)

setting out further matters to be addressed in risk management plans and the risks to be addressed in those plans; and

(b)

specifying the documents to be made available for inspection in a risk management plan audit; and

(c)

prescribing drinking water quality standards; and

(d)

specifying the issues relating to the quality of drinking water and regulated water that are to be dealt with by a water supplier and water storage manager in an annual report; and

(e)

providing for other matters required to be prescribed under the Safe Drinking Water Act 2003.

2Authorising provision

These Regulations are made under section 56 of the Safe Drinking Water Act 2003.

3Commencement

These Regulations come into operation on 6 July 2025.

4Revocation

The Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2015^[1] are revoked.

5Definitions

In these Regulations—

accredited testing organisation means an organisation that holds accreditation from NATA in relation to testing potable water for characteristics specified in a water supplier's water sampling program;

Australian Drinking Water Guidelines means the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines published by the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council, as in force from time to time;

critical control point, in relation to water supplied by a water agency, means a point in the system of supply at which—

(a)

an action, procedure or process can be applied to the water; and

(b)

the effective operation of that action, procedure or process is essential to prevent a hazard to human health or to reduce the hazard to an acceptable level;

critical limit, in relation to an action, procedure or process that is applied to water at a critical control point, means the limit at which the action, procedure or process ceases to operate effectively;

drinking water treatment process means a process that is—

(a)

applied to water that is, or is to be, supplied as drinking water; and

(b)

designed to render the water suitable for supply as drinking water; and

(c)

applied with the intention of rendering the water suitable for supply as drinking water;

emergency has the same meaning as in the Emergency Management Act 2013;

emergency management has the same meaning as in the Emergency Management Act 2013;

hazard means a biological, chemical, physical or radiological agent that has the potential to cause harm;

microbial health outcome target means the microbial health-based target specified in Section 1.3 of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines;

Note

The microbial health-based target specified in Section 1.3 of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines as in force on the commencement of these Regulations is 1 x 10^-6 Disability Adjusted Life Years per person per year.

NATA means National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia, ACN 004 379 748;

new water sampling area means a water sampling area other than an area referred to in regulation 11(2);

reportable log reduction shortfall, in relation to a source water category, means a log reduction value that is at least one log reduction value below a treatment target for that source water category;

sample characteristic means a microbial, chemical or physical characteristic of drinking water for which a drinking water quality standard is specified;

Note

The drinking water quality standards are specified in regulation 16 for the purposes of section 17(1) of the Act.

source water category means a category for a source of water specified in Table 5.4 of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines;

the Act means the Safe Drinking Water Act 2003;

treatment target, in relation to a source water category, means a target specified for that category in Table 5.5 of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines;

water agency means a water storage manager or a water supplier;

water sampling area means an area specified under regulation 11;

water sampling program means a program developed under regulation 14 or 15.

Part 2—Management of risks to water supply

6Risk management plan

(1)

For the purposes of section 9(1)(e) of the Act, a risk management plan must contain details of, or refer to, the following matters—

(a)

on and from 6 October 2025, the water agency's policy for managing drinking water quality, including—

(i)

a statement of the water agency's commitment to manage the quality of the water supplied by the water agency; and

(ii)

how the water agency has endorsed that commitment; and

(iii)

how the commitment is communicated to the water agency's employees;

(b)

for a risk management plan prepared by a water supplier, each water sampling area specified by the water supplier, including—

(i)

a clearly marked map of the boundaries of each water sampling area; and

(ii)

all information reasonably available to the water supplier that assists to identify the boundaries of each water sampling area; and

(iii)

for a new water sampling area or a water sampling area varied under regulation 12—

(A)

how the boundaries of that water sampling area have been determined; and

(B)

how the matters specified in regulation 11(3) or 12(2) (as the case requires) were considered in determining the boundaries of that water sampling area;

(c)

in relation to water quality risks for water supplied by the water agency, the positions held by persons employed or engaged by the water agency who are responsible for managing those risks;

(d)

procedures for consultation with other water agencies in relation to water quality risks for water supplied—

(i)

to the water agency by other water agencies; and

(ii)

by the water agency to other water agencies;

(e)

emergency management arrangements for emergencies or incidents that have, or may have, an adverse effect on the quality or safety of water supplied by the water agency, including—

(i)

the positions held by persons employed or engaged by the water agency who are responsible for dealing with those emergencies or incidents; and

(ii)

methods for communicating information to the public in relation to those emergencies or incidents;

(f)

for a risk management plan prepared by a water supplier, the water sampling program developed by the water supplier, including—

(i)

the matters specified in regulation 14(2); and

(ii)

how the locations for collecting water samples have been determined; and

(iii)

how the matters referred to in regulation 14(3), (4) and (5) were considered in developing the program;

(g)

for a risk management plan prepared by a water storage manager, the water sampling program developed by the water storage manager, including—

(i)

the matters specified in regulation 15(2); and

(ii)

how the locations for collecting water samples have been determined;

(h)

in circumstances where the water agency adds chemicals to drinking water supplied by the water agency, procedures and systems for—

(i)

ensuring that the amount and purity of those chemicals do not adversely affect the quality of that drinking water or pose a risk to human health; and

(ii)

controlling the addition of any residue or chemical by‑products to that drinking water;

(i)

the required competency and training of persons who are employed or engaged by the water agency, to the extent that the competency or training relates to the monitoring and management of water quality risks for water supplied by the water agency;

(j)

any policies, standards and guidelines adopted by the water agency in relation to the required competency and training described in paragraph (i);

(k)

the infrastructure of the system of supply and other features of that system that are designed to assist in the management of water quality risks for water supplied by the water agency, including the method for verifying the effectiveness of the infrastructure and other features;

(l)

on and from 6 October 2025, the process for inspecting and maintaining water storage, treatment and distribution assets to ensure the management of water quality risks for water supplied by the water agency;

(m)

measures taken to monitor and manage water quality risks for water supplied by the water agency, including any methods for verifying the effectiveness of those measures;

(n)

critical control points across the system of supply, including—

(i)

how those critical control points are identified and recorded; and

(ii)

the water quality risks at each critical control point; and

(iii)

the critical limits that apply at each critical control point; and

(iv)

if a critical limit is reached at a critical control point—

(A)

any additional actions, procedures or processes that are to be applied to the water at the critical control point; and

(B)

any policies or guidelines that are to be implemented;

(o)

on and from 6 October 2025, the process for assessing emerging or potential water quality risks;

(p)

on and from 6 October 2025, an improvement plan that specifies how the water agency proposes to improve its management of the quality of the water supplied by the water agency;

(q)

on and from 6 October 2025, the processes for the short-term and long-term review of data to monitor water quality risks for water supplied by the water agency.

Reg. 6(2) amended by S.R. No. 106/2026 reg. 5(1).

(2)

For the purposes of section 9(1)(e) of the Act, if a water agency operates and maintains a drinking water treatment process that is applied to untreated water, the water agency's risk management plan must contain, for the period from 7 July 2026 to 5 July 2027, details of the methodology that is used by the water agency to quantify microbial hazards in relation to that water, including—

(a)

the extent to which pathogenic microorganisms are present in water that enters the drinking water treatment process; and

(b)

the extent to which that drinking water treatment process—

(i)

removes those pathogenic microorganisms from the water; or

(ii)

reduces the amount of those pathogenic microorganisms in the water.

Reg. 6(3) amended by S.R. No. 106/2026 reg. 5(2).

(3)

For the purposes of section 9(1)(e) of the Act, if a water agency manages a source of untreated water that is to be treated and supplied as drinking water, the water agency's risk management plan must contain details of the following matters on and from 6 July 2027—

(a)

the process for determining a source water category for that source of untreated water in accordance with Section 5.4.3 of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines;

(b)

procedures for reviewing and revising the source water category for that source of untreated water.

Reg. 6(4) amended by S.R. No. 106/2026 reg. 5(3).

(4)

For the purposes of section 9(1)(e) of the Act, if a water agency applies a drinking water treatment process to untreated water, the water agency's risk management plan must contain details of the following matters on and from 6 July 2027—

(a)

procedures for assessing the treatment required to be applied to the untreated water, based on its source water category, for that water to meet the microbial health outcome target;

(b)

procedures for designing and monitoring the drinking water treatment process to ensure that the water to which the process is applied meets the treatment targets for the source water category of that water;

(c)

procedures for recording the effectiveness of the drinking water treatment process in treating the water to meet—

(i)

the microbial health outcome target; and

(ii)

the treatment targets for the source water category of that water;

(d)

if the water to which the drinking water treatment process is applied does not meet the targets referred to in paragraph (c), procedures for implementing improvements to ensure that the water meets those targets.

(5)

For the purposes of section 9(2) of the Act, the specified risks to be addressed are the following—

(a)

the risk to human health that arises from the presence in water of—

(i)

pathogenic microorganisms; and

(ii)

inorganic chemicals, including inorganic disinfection by-products; and

(iii)

organic chemicals, including pesticides, pesticide residues and organic disinfection by-products; and

(iv)

radionuclides; and

(v)

algal toxins;

(b)

the risks arising from an incident that may cause the organisms or substances referred to in paragraph (a) to be introduced, whether by humans or the natural environment, into—

(i)

in the case of a water supplier, the water supplier's system of supply; or

(ii)

in the case of a water storage manager, the water supplied by the water storage manager;

(c)

the risk of the organisms or substances referred to in paragraph (a) entering into water supplied by the water agency because of the transfer or distribution of that water;

Reg. 6(5)(d) amended by S.R. No. 106/2026 reg. 5(4).

(d)

on and from 6 January 2028, the risk to the taste, odour or clarity of water that arises from—

(i)

the presence in water of an algal metabolite, a chemical or any other substance; and

(ii)

the pH or turbidity level of the water; and

(iii)

the colour or temperature of the water; and

(iv)

an incident that may cause an algal metabolite, a chemical or any other substance to be introduced, whether by humans or the natural environment, into—

(A)

in the case of a water supplier, the water supplier's system of supply; or

(B)

in the case of a water storage manager, the water supplied by the water storage manager; and

(v)

an algal metabolite, a chemical or any other substance entering into water supplied by the water agency because of the transfer or distribution of that water.

(6)

In this regulation—

water quality risk, in relation to water supplied by a water agency, includes—

(a)

a risk referred to in section 9(1)(b) of the Act; and

(b)

a risk that is specified for the purposes of section 9(2) of the Act.

Note

Section 9(1)(b) of the Act provides for a risk management plan to identify the risks to the quality of the water supplied by the water agency and the risks that may be posed by the quality of the water. Subregulation (5) specifies risks to be addressed in a risk management plan for the purposes of section 9(2) of the Act.

7Risk management plan audit

For the purposes of section 10(2) of the Act, the specified documents are—

(a)

the risk management plan; and

(b)

any document referred to in the risk management plan or containing material that relates to the risk management plan; and

(c)

any document that records or provides evidence of the implementation of the risk management plan.

8Audit certificate

For the purposes of section 12(2) of the Act, the form of the certificate is set out in Schedule 1.

9Approval of risk management plan auditors

For the purposes of section 13(2) of the Act, the auditor approval criteria are that the person—

(a)

either—

(i)

holds an accreditation from an institution which, in the opinion of the Secretary, makes the person suitable for approval as a risk management plan auditor; or

(ii)

demonstrates to the Secretary that the person has the necessary experience, qualifications and skills to conduct audits of risk management plans independently; and

(b)

is, in the reasonable opinion of the Secretary, a suitable person to be approved as an auditor; and

(c)

provides to the Secretary a written declaration that the person has no conflict of interest that would affect the person's ability to conduct an audit of a risk management plan objectively.

10Reportable log reduction shortfalls

Reg. 10(1) amended by S.R. No. 106/2026 reg. 6.

(1)

On and from 6 July 2027, if a water agency becomes aware that the application of a drinking water treatment process to a source of untreated water has produced, or will produce, a reportable log reduction shortfall for the source water category of that water, the water agency must notify the Secretary in writing within 10 days after becoming aware of that shortfall.

(2)

A notification under subregulation (1) must specify—

(a)

details of the operation of the drinking water treatment process; and

(b)

the actions that the water agency has taken, or proposes to take, to address the reportable log reduction shortfall.

Part 3—Water sampling areas and water sampling programs

11Water sampling area

(1)

A water supplier must specify an area that is supplied with drinking water by the water supplier to be a water sampling area for the purposes of the water supplier's risk management plan.

(2)

An area supplied with drinking water by a water supplier that is specified to be a water sampling locality under the Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2015 immediately before their revocation is, on and from that revocation, a water sampling area for the purposes of the water supplier's risk management plan as if the water supplier had specified that area to be a water sampling area under subregulation (1).

(3)

If a water supplier specifies a new water sampling area for the purposes of the water supplier's risk management plan, the water supplier must consider the following matters in determining the boundaries of that new water sampling area—

(a)

the source or sources of the water that will be supplied as drinking water in the water sampling area;

(b)

the drinking water treatment processes to be applied to water that will be supplied as drinking water in the water sampling area;

(c)

the distribution system that will be used to supply drinking water in the water sampling area.

(4)

Within 10 days after a water supplier specifies a new water sampling area for the purposes of the water supplier's risk management plan, the water supplier must—

(a)

give written notice to the Secretary of the new water sampling area, including—

(i)

how the boundaries of the new water sampling area have been determined; and

(ii)

how the matters specified in subregulation (3) were considered in determining the boundaries of the new water sampling area; and

(iii)

a clearly marked map of the boundaries of the new water sampling area; and

(iv)

all information reasonably available to the water supplier that assists to identify the boundaries of the new water sampling area; and

(b)

update the water supplier's risk management plan to specify details of the new water sampling area.

12Variation of water sampling area

(1)

A water supplier may vary the boundaries of a water sampling area specified in the water supplier's risk management plan.

(2)

In varying the boundaries of a water sampling area, a water supplier must consider—

(a)

the source or sources of the water that will be supplied as drinking water in the water sampling area; and

(b)

the drinking water treatment processes to be applied to water that will be supplied as drinking water in the water sampling area; and

(c)

the distribution system that will be used to supply drinking water in the water sampling area.

(3)

Within 10 days after a water supplier varies the boundaries of a water sampling area, the water supplier must—

(a)

give written notice to the Secretary of that variation, including—

(i)

how the boundaries of the water sampling area have been varied; and

(ii)

how the matters specified in subregulation (2) were considered in varying the boundaries of the water sampling area; and

(iii)

a clearly marked map of the boundaries of the varied water sampling area; and

(iv)

all information reasonably available to the water supplier that assists to identify the boundaries of the varied water sampling area; and

(b)

update the details of the water sampling area specified in the water supplier's risk management plan.

Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2025

About this Act

Bill & explanatory material

This Act’s bill