Midge Point residents are shocked after tap water in the Queensland town turns black
An Australian town was left without drinking water after firefighting left its usual water supply black and brown.
Residents were shocked to see the severely discolored water flowing when they turned on their taps at Midge Point, north of Mackay in North Queensland, this week.
A mother refused to bathe her baby in water despite the local council claiming it was safe.
“This has been going on for two days now.” “I have a baby that I won’t bathe,” the mother wrote on social media.
Residents were shocked to see the severely discolored water flowing when they turned on their taps at Midge Point, north of Mackay in North Queensland, this week.
A mother refused to bathe her baby in the black water despite the local council claiming it was safe
However, Mackay Regional Council insisted there was no reason to avoid it.
“The discolored water is safe for other activities such as dishwashing, bathing and washing clothes.”
The council noted that “dark water can discolor light-colored clothing.”
The worrying change was due to emergency firefighting operations in the area, which saw chemicals leaking from 50km of pipes last Friday and Saturday.
Mackay Regional Council warned people not to drink the water and had a full tanker full of fresh water brought to Midge Point Rural Fire Brigade headquarters on Monday and Tuesday.
Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson said manganese was removed from pipes by large amounts of manganese being pushed through by firefighters.
This made the water unsuitable for some activities.
“During firefighting, there is a significantly higher demand for water in the system, increasing velocities in the pipe and stirring up any sediment in the existing pipe network,” Mackay Regional Council said in a statement.
The worrying change was due to emergency firefighting operations in the area, which saw chemicals leaking from 50km of pipes last Friday and Saturday