Perth Children’s Hospital: Government insists new lead contamination in PCH water provides ‘no risk’

Dangerous amounts of lead have again been found in the drinking water supply at Perth Children’s Hospital, just five days after it was revealed test results were being kept secret. Health Minister Meredith Hammat revealed new “exceedances” of the toxic metal in State Parliament on Tuesday, with five samples taken in August at two sites at the hospital testing higher than the national safety benchmark. The “exceedances” mean the levels of lead in the five samples across two sites at PCH were higher than the safety benchmark set by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Despite Ms Hammat’s assurances, the two contaminated sites have been cordoned off until further notice and a stricter regime of water sample testing has been put in place. It comes after The West Australian last week revealed the drinking water at PCH was found to be contaminated with lead last year, but was kept secret by the Cook Government, sparking outrage from nurses, doctors and the Opposition. “Late Friday afternoon, (September 5), the Department of Health advised my office that it had just learned of five further exceedances at Perth Children’s Hospital from its latest round of testing relating to two locations,” Ms Hammat said on Tuesday. “The sites of exceedances are decommissioned while they undergo remediation. I want to be very clear, I have been advised by the WA Chief Health Officer that there is no risk to the safety of patients or staff as a result of these exceedances.” Ms Hammat was directed by Speaker Stephen Price not to give an “opinion” when pressed by Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas to explain what level of exceedance the Government would consider a risk. She promised to strengthen reporting requirements, but would not commit to notifying the public. “It is important that testing take place so that we can identify exceedances, where they occur, and take steps to immediately rectify them,” Ms Hammat said. “But I do acknowledge the concerns that arise from patients, from parents and from staff. “I’ve issued a direction to the Director General of the Department of Health to implement a requirement for health service providers to regularly report the results of their water testing regimes to the Department and to immediately notify the Chief Health Officer in writing, where there is an exceedance of the Australian Water Drinking guidelines. “The Chief Health Officer will be required to report monthly to the Director General on any exceedances of lead, legionella or other pathogens detected and how they have been rectified. “I’ve been clear that any exceedances that present a risk to patients or staff will be formally reported to me as minister, as a matter of urgency.” It was revealed last week that 11 samples of PCH’s drinking water taken between the start of 2023 and the end of March 2024 contained more lead than the safe quantity under the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Lead consumption can “severely affect the central nervous system,” according to the National Health and Medical Research Council, with young children and babies the “most susceptible.” But WA’s Chief Health Officer Andrew Robertson said the water at PCH “is safe to consume”. The latest test results from PCH are understood to be the first batch since the National Health and Medical Research Council halved the maximum safe level in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines from 0.01 milligram per litre to 0.005mg/L. This change came into effect on June 25. “NHMRC reviewed recent international guidance and publications on health effects from exposure to lead in drinking water including neurobehavioural effects,” a spokeswoman told The West. “A drinking water guideline for lead of 0.005 mg/L was set with the general aim of reducing or minimising lead exposure to a blood lead level target of less than five micrograms per decilitre. “This approach was consistent with current Australian science policy to minimise exposure to lead in the most sensitive population groups — infants, children and pregnant women.” In 2017, “disturbed residues” in the QEII Medical Centre ring main and lead leaching from the brass fittings and fixtures connected to PCH’s plumbing system were identified as the likely causes of lead contamination during construction of PCH. The revelation became a major pressure point for the former Liberal-National Government, which had picked John Holland as the managing contract for PCH’s construction — a build that blew out to $1.2 billion, partly due to the lead issues.