Prepared by the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment
Australia’s national drinking water research centre

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This Consumer's Guide to Drinking Water outlines all aspects of drinking water - from the catchment to the tap.

It provides an overview of water in Australia and around the world and discusses how water is collected, treated, distributed, used and regulated.

The Glossary defines the terms used in this guide.

The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines are referred to at various points throughout this website. The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines are developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in collaboration with the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council (NRMMC). They define good quality drinking water and help Australian water authorities provide good quality drinking water to consumers.

The NHMRC have also released a document entitled Water Made Clear which provides information on drinking water quality and safety for consumers. This can be downloaded from the NHMRC website.

For more information on technical aspects of drinking water quality, examine the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

Additional links to information on drinking water and water resources.