Toowoomba Regional Council has closed Cooby, Cressbrook and Perseverance Dams for water-based activities until further notice.
Due to health concerns related to increased microorganism levels Toowoomba Regional Council Water and Waste General Manager Damian Platts says Council officers had decided to stop water-based activities at all three dams as a safety precaution .
“Council will conduct its regular testing regime to determine when each of the dams can re-open,” Mr Platts said. “The microorganism levels represent no risk to drinking water supplies as the water treatment, and disinfection process removes them.”
“Council monitors the three dams weekly for algae and numerous microbiological parameters including E.coli. We also test chemical parameters such as iron, manganese, alkalinity, hardness, ammonia, nitrate, colour, turbidity and phosphate.
“Even if we are not using a particular dam, but a test shows that levels are too high for primary contact (swimming) or secondary contact (boating) we inform Council’s Parks and Recreation Services branch about closing a facility to the public.”
To view activities open or closed at Toowoomba Regional Council’s water storage dams, please visit www.tr.qld.gov.au/damstatus
Submitted by:
Michael Duff
Senior Media Relations Officer
Stakeholder Engagement and Communications
Toowoomba Regional Council
