Bore Water Quality and Testing in Mildura

What bore water quality and testing in Mildura actually involves

The Victorian Government's water.vic.gov.au says the groundwater within aquifers varies in quality from fresh drinking water to saltier than seawater, and the Commission says the way you can use bore water depends on its quality, which relates to the salt levels in the water. Neither page says what a bore at a Mildura address will find, so this site states no result.

Drinking water

The Commission says a reticulated water system supplied by a water authority must be used for human consumption, food preparation, food utensil washing and personal hygiene, and that an appropriate backflow prevention device must be installed to protect the drinking water supply from the bore water.

What to do

Test the water before relying on it, keep the bore's connections away from the drinking supply, and look up what is known about the aquifer under your block. The Victorian Water Register says a report summarising the aquifers and groundwater salinity in any Victorian location can be generated from the Groundwater Resource Reports page on the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action website. This site has not read that report for your address. Ask the provider who takes the sample, which tests are run and who reads them.

Around Mildura the Murray-Darling Basin Authority lists a salt interception scheme at Mildura-Merbein, at a place where groundwater is particularly high in salt. The salty groundwater page has the wording and the Merbein page the limits of it.

Bore Water Quality and Testing in Mildura — common questions

Is bore water safe to drink?

Not on assumption. The Commission says a reticulated water system supplied by a water authority must be used for human consumption, and that it is essential to test bore water to determine if it is appropriate to use.

Can bore water be salty?

Yes. The Victorian Government says groundwater varies in quality from fresh drinking water to saltier than seawater, and the Commission says quality relates to the salt levels in the water.

Where can I look up the aquifer under my block?

The Victorian Water Register points to the Groundwater Resource Reports page on the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action website, which it says can generate a report summarising the aquifers and groundwater salinity in any Victorian location.