Closing the water gap — Water, sanitation and hygiene for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities

Clean water is critical to Closing the Gap in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Access to secure, reliable and safe drinking water is essential to human health and well-being and is recognised by the United Nations as a human right. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have inadequate drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) accessibility. This explainer outlines certain approaches that can be made to protect against water inequalities in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Key takeaways

• Mineral, chemical and microbial contamination exceeding safe thresholds set by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines for prolonged periods are causing chronic health impacts in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
• Remote communities lack baseline data on water quality, and many are not able to access regular testing to know if they meet the drinking water guidelines.
• Issues with poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have lasted for decades, and have been compounded by short-term research funding cycles and political leadership roles.
• Contributors to water pollution, such as mining and agriculture industries, need to be held accountable to reduce water pollution issues.
• Greater communication is needed between council staff, water treatment plant operators, and local community champions to adequately address poor water quality issues in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
• More fit-for-context water treatment technologies are needed, such as modular water treatment systems that are designed for poor water quality (e.g. high salinity, low pH) found in remote communities.