Clean drinking water has been restored to Kiwirrkurra, one of Western Australia’s most isolated Aboriginal communities, ending more than four years of dependence on bottled supplies due to groundwater contamination concerns.
Residents of the Ngaanyatjarra lands community, near the WA–Northern Territory border about 700 kilometres west of Alice Springs, had relied on free bottled water since 2020 after elevated levels of naturally occurring fluoride and nitrate were detected in local groundwater.
The return to safe tap water follows a $6.5 million upgrade to the community’s water treatment plant and pipe network, delivered under the state government’s Aboriginal Communities Water Services program. The works included improvements to treatment processes and distribution infrastructure, with parts of the project undertaken by Aboriginal-owned contractor Pilbara Meta Maya.
After a nine-month testing period to confirm water quality, the Department of Health has lifted its advisory for Kiwirrkurra, making it the first community to do so since Water Corporation took over responsibility for Aboriginal water services in 2023.
Water and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Don Punch said the upgrades meant the community now had a reliable supply of drinking water that met health standards, acknowledging residents’ patience during the prolonged disruption and the contribution of local contractors to the project.
Kimberley MLA Divina D’Anna said the restoration of safe drinking water marked a significant step for the community, with expected benefits for both public health and environmental outcomes over time.
The Kiwirrkurra project forms part of a broader effort to improve water infrastructure in remote Aboriginal communities across Western Australia. Seventeen communities have received major upgrades under the program so far, while initial network improvements have been carried out in eight town-based locations. Detailed infrastructure assessments have also been completed in 88 of the 133 communities included in the program to guide future works.
Water Corporation says it will continue supporting Kiwirrkurra’s transition back to drinking tap water, with further pipe renewals and borefield upgrades planned to help secure long-term supply.
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