Remote Community Waits for Clean Drinking Water

By Rachel Jackson

ABC Kimberley

Topic: Water Supply

Thu 25 Jun 2026 at 9:01am

Maxine Ningella fills plastic tubs with water from a decade-old donated filter in Pandanus Park.

In short:

An Aboriginal community in Western Australia's north has been fighting for clean drinking water for over a decade.

The community is not alone, and improving water quality in remote communities needs to be prioritized across the state.

What's next?

The Water Corporation says upgrades to the community's water infrastructure are due to start next year.

For most people, getting clean water is easy.

But for Maxine Ningella, it means walking 600 meters with a wheelbarrow to collect water from the filtration system.

The community is 2,300km north of Perth and 170km east of Broome in Western Australia's remote Kimberley.

Ms Ningella walks 600m with a wheelbarrow each day to collect water for her family.

She is concerned about the water coming from her tap at home.

We need something to change in this community.

About 100 residents have been waiting for a long-term fix to local drinking water contaminated by nitrate.

Maxine Ningella says the water quality at Pandanus Park has worsened over time.

Nitrate exposure

Nitrate pollution occurs naturally in the Kimberley as vegetation breaks down and seeps into an aquifer.

The chemical compound has been linked to cancer, kidney disease, and diabetes.

A 2015 report found many Aboriginal communities had enough nitrate in their water supply to cause blue baby syndrome.

A second report in 2021 found the levels were getting worse.

Pat Riley says there have been few long-term solutions for her community's water issues.

Bottled water is provided for infants under three months as a stopgap measure.

Community chairperson Patricia Riley has been advocating for improvement to the water quality for over a decade.

As First Nations people, we're not being taken seriously.

Calls for updated guidelines

Testing shows nitrate contamination in Pandanus Park's water supply consistently falls below the 100mg/L limit for adults.

Ms Riley has been advocating to fix Pandanus Park's water supply for over a decade.

While residents are told the tap water is safe, experts say the guidelines need to be changed.

Murdoch University population health specialist Roz Walker has worked with communities to advocate for improved water quality.

Professor Walker said the current standards do not reflect conditions in remote communities.

If you're talking about a vulnerable population, the guidelines need to be altered.

Contemporary research suggests even small amounts of nitrate are completely unsafe for pregnant women.

Professor Walker says research suggests small amounts of nitrate are completely unsafe for pregnant women.

Experts say local and international research supports lowering allowable nitrate levels.

Denmark is set to lower legal limits for nitrate contamination in drinking water to 6mg/L.

Community health concerns

Ms Riley questioned whether health issues in the community were linked to the water quality.

We've got families with different health issues and they're expecting us to drink the water.

Maxine Ningella wants a future with clean tap water at Pandanus Park for her family.

A spokesperson for the National Health and Medical Research Council said nitrate standards were scheduled for review.

The guidelines are recommendations only, and implementation is a matter for the states and territories.

Wait for a long-term fix

The singular filtration system at Pandanus Park was installed free-of-charge in 2017 by the Yaru Foundation.

A charity organised for a water filtration station to be installed free of charge at Pandanus Park.

The filter was meant to be a short-term solution while the state government worked on a sustainable fix.

After years of advocacy, the Pandanus Park community is proof that something can be done.

Once the responsibility of WA's Department of Communities, the Water Corporation is now responsible for providing water.

A spokesperson for the state-owned utility said infrastructure upgrades at Pandanus Park were set to commence mid next year.

Not just Pandanus

Pandanus Park is not the only WA community with long-held concerns about its water supply.

Pandanus Park residents say clean water is important for future generations.

Ms Riley said she was fighting for clean water for all remote communities across WA with similar issues.

Professor Walker said the issue needed to be placed on the national agenda.

It can't be just left as being seen that these communities have made some lifestyle decision to live in these places.

That's their country, that's their health and well-being … it's a critical component that has to be respected.

Thu 25 Jun 2026 at 9:01am

Thu 25 Jun 2026 at 10:02am

Promotion

Latihan mendengarkan

Latihan mendengarkan