South Australians have been exposed repeatedly to dangerous chemicals in their drinking water, with thousands of breaches of health guidelines, an environmental group says.

Friends of the Earth’s report, compiled from freedom of information requests, reveals more than 9000 breaches of the Australian drinking water guidelines and World Health Organisation drinking water guidelines between 2000 and 2012.

The breaches include monochloramines, which occur when ammonia is added to chlorine, which reportedly aggravate skin, digestive and respiratory ailments.

Friends of the Earth said thousands of breaches were also recorded for chlorine disinfection by-products, particularly compounds defined as trihalomethanes, some of which have been linked to bladder cancer and reproductive problems. “For Adelaide residents the chemical of most concern would be bromodichloromethane,” the group’s spokesman Anthony Amis said.

“We found that many suburbs in Adelaide have been exposed to this chemical above the level which the World Health Organisation believe is safe.” Amis said bromodichloromethane was regarded by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a possible carcinogen for humans.

Friends of the Earth said people wanting to avoid the risks of exposure to chemicals in drinking water should install a water filter in their homes. It said SA residents should also start lobbying for alternative water treatment processes.

Source: theaustralian.com