Evidence evaluations for Australian drinking water guidelines

Challenge

As part of the prioritisation process for review of existing Australian drinking water guidelines and derivation of new drinking water guidelines for priority chemicals, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) selected SLR as the successful tenderer to provide evidence evaluations for Australian drinking water guidelines chemical fact sheets.

Solution

The project involved identification of existing sources of international guidance or guidelines on the impact of exposure to five PFAS in drinking water at levels higher or lower than the current Australian health-based guideline values (where these exist) on human health outcomes. An evidence scan to inform an update to the existing supporting information (e.g. levels detected in Australian drinking water, analysis / detection, monitoring and treatment guidance) provided in the fact sheet was also requested to be undertaken. The work involved critical evaluations of a number of toxicological and epidemiological studies which underpin international guidance values for the PFAS considered in the project.

SLR received positive feedback from NHMRC and the Water Quality Advisory Committee as to the quality of the reports produced.

Impact

The findings of this evaluation will be used by NHMRC to develop and / or update public health advice and / or health-based guideline values (if required) for inclusion in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (2011).