Independent testing organized by residents has found high levels of metals and pesticides in a river thousands of people rely on for drinking water in western NSW. The Dharriwaa Elders Group (DEG) in Walgett partnered with Charles Sturt University (CSU) to test for several different substances in the Namoi and Barwon Rivers.
DEG treasurer Rick Townsend said group members were concerned about the Namoi River's health after catching several fish with sores on their bodies recently.
"We believe that the water isn't safe to drink … and we are afraid [the fish] are not safe to eat," he said. A preliminary summary of water quality findings, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, indicated several metals and pesticides were found in the Namoi River.
The testing assessed the health of the river's ecosystem rather than the water's drinkability. Until last year, residents were exclusively drinking bore water due to the Namoi River running dry in 2018.
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