Data

Quality of Potable Water at Australian Antarctic and Subantarctic Stations

Australian Antarctic Division
Price, T., Ayton, J., Marshall, C., Sharman, A. and Nash, P. ; PRICE, TIM ; AYTON, JEFF ; MARSHALL, CHRIS ; SHARMAN, ANDREW ; NASH, PHOEBE
Viewed: [[ro.stat.viewed]] Cited: [[ro.stat.cited]] Accessed: [[ro.stat.accessed]]
ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2FANDS&rft_id=http://data.aad.gov.au/metadata/SOE_potable_water_quality&rft.title=Quality of Potable Water at Australian Antarctic and Subantarctic Stations&rft.identifier=http://data.aad.gov.au/metadata/SOE_potable_water_quality&rft.publisher=Australian Antarctic Data Centre&rft.description=2025-09-24The State of the Environment applications are no longer actively supported. Data collected under this program are archived as part of this metadata record - these are the Pre-2023 data. The Post-2023 data were recorded under a new paradigm.Data are collected by doctors on station and entered into a specialised database. Extracts of that database are made annually and added to this metadata record.#####STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT DETAILS (Page no longer functioning)INDICATOR DEFINITIONPotable water quality measured monthly at Australian Antarctic and Subantarctic Stations.TYPE OF INDICATORThere are three types of indicators used in this report:1.Describes the CONDITION of important elements of a system;2.Show the extent of the major PRESSURES exerted on a system;3.Determine RESPONSES to either condition or changes in the condition of a system.This indicator is one of: CONDITIONRATIONALE FOR INDICATOR SELECTIONPotable water quality is an indicator of natural environmental water quality. Any contamination may be from either natural or human impacts, but analysis provides a useful indicator for further examination of causes, and a long term record of natural water quality around human settlements.DESIGN AND STRATEGY FOR INDICATOR MONITORING PROGRAMWater is obtained from a number of sources dependent upon the station: from desalination plants, melt bells, natural melt lakes and natural streams.Potable water quality is measured monthly at storage water tanks and various tap outlets around stations - mostly at the main living, sleeping and medical quarters.Spatial Scale: Australian Antarctic stations: Australian Antarctic continental stations and Macquarie Island station.Frequency: MonthlyMeasurement Technique: Test is conducted by either the Station Medical Officer or the Station Plumber for the following parameters: pH, conductivity, turbidity and faecal coliforms (E coli).RESEARCH ISSUESTesting is used primarily to determine health of potable water for consumption. However testing may show either natural or human impacts in the natural catchments of water sources. Test results that show unusual contaminant levels leads to investigation of causes, whether in the station infrastructure or natural water catchments.LINKS TO OTHER INDICATORSSOE Indicator 48 - Station and ship person daysSOE Indicator 50 - Volume of wastewater discharged from Australian Antarctic StationsSOE Indicator 51 - Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) of wastewater discharged from Australian Antarctic StationsSOE Indicator 52 - Suspended solids (SS) content of wastewater discharged from Australian Antarctic StationsProgress Code: onGoing&rft.creator=Price, T., Ayton, J., Marshall, C., Sharman, A. and Nash, P. &rft.creator=PRICE, TIM &rft.creator=AYTON, JEFF &rft.creator=MARSHALL, CHRIS &rft.creator=SHARMAN, ANDREW &rft.creator=NASH, PHOEBE &rft.date=2003&rft.coverage=westlimit=158.8609; southlimit=-54.6198; eastlimit=158.8609; northlimit=-54.6198&rft.coverage=westlimit=158.8609; southlimit=-54.6198; eastlimit=158.8609; northlimit=-54.6198&rft.coverage=westlimit=110.5276; southlimit=-66.2818; eastlimit=110.5276; northlimit=-66.2818&rft.coverage=westlimit=110.5276; southlimit=-66.2818; eastlimit=110.5276; northlimit=-66.2818&rft.coverage=westlimit=62.8738; southlimit=-67.6026; eastlimit=62.8738; northlimit=-67.6026&rft.coverage=westlimit=62.8738; southlimit=-67.6026; eastlimit=62.8738; northlimit=-67.6026&rft.coverage=westlimit=77.9673; southlimit=-68.5766; eastlimit=77.9673; northlimit=-68.5766&rft.coverage=westlimit=77.9673; southlimit=-68.5766; eastlimit=77.9673; northlimit=-68.5766&rft_rights=These data are publicly available for download from the provided URL. New data are added annually (approximately every September).&rft_rights=Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode&rft_rights=This data set conforms to the CCBY Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Please follow instructions listed in the citation reference provided at http://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/metadata/citation.cfm?entry_id=SOE_potable_water_quality when using these data.&rft_rights=This metadata record is publicly available.&rft_subject=geoscientificInformation&rft_subject=environment&rft_subject=inlandWaters&rft_subject=health&rft_subject=EARTH SCIENCE > TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE > WATER QUALITY/WATER CHEMISTRY > WATER CHARACTERISTICS > CONDUCTIVITY&rft_subject=EARTH SCIENCE > TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE > WATER QUALITY/WATER CHEMISTRY > CONTAMINANTS&rft_subject=EARTH SCIENCE > TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE > WATER QUALITY/WATER CHEMISTRY > WATER CHARACTERISTICS > pH&rft_subject=EARTH SCIENCE > TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE > WATER QUALITY/WATER CHEMISTRY > WATER CHARACTERISTICS > TURBIDITY&rft_subject=EARTH SCIENCE > TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE > WATER QUALITY/WATER CHEMISTRY > WATER CHARACTERISTICS > POTABILITY&rft_subject=ANTARCTICA&rft_subject=E COLI&rft_subject=DRINKING WATER&rft_subject=TURBIDITY&rft_subject=CONDUCTIVITY&rft_subject=MACQUARIE ISLAND&rft_subject=POTABLE WATER&rft_subject=PH&rft_subject=STATIONS&rft_subject=WATER QUALITY&rft_subject=CONDUCTIVITY METERS&rft_subject=PH METERS&rft_subject=LABORATORY&rft_subject=FIXED OBSERVATION STATIONS&rft_subject=AMD/AU&rft_subject=AMD&rft_subject=CEOS&rft_subject=OCEAN > SOUTHERN OCEAN&rft_subject=OCEAN > SOUTHERN OCEAN > MACQUARIE ISLAND&rft_subject=CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA&rft_subject=GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR&rft.type=dataset&rft.language=English Access the data
Cite Saved to MyRDA Save to MyRDA

Licence & Rights:

Open Licence view details
CC-BY

Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

These data are publicly available for download from the provided URL. New data are added annually (approximately every September).

This data set conforms to the CCBY Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Please follow instructions listed in the citation reference provided at http://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/metadata/citation.cfm?entry_id=SOE_potable_water_quality when using these data.

This metadata record is publicly available.

Access:

Other

Full description

2025-09-24
The State of the Environment applications are no longer actively supported. Data collected under this program are archived as part of this metadata record - these are the "Pre-2023" data. The "Post-2023" data were recorded under a new paradigm.

Data are collected by doctors on station and entered into a specialised database. Extracts of that database are made annually and added to this metadata record.

#####

STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT DETAILS (Page no longer functioning)

INDICATOR DEFINITION
Potable water quality measured monthly at Australian Antarctic and Subantarctic Stations.

TYPE OF INDICATOR
There are three types of indicators used in this report:
1.Describes the CONDITION of important elements of a system;
2.Show the extent of the major PRESSURES exerted on a system;
3.Determine RESPONSES to either condition or changes in the condition of a system.

This indicator is one of: CONDITION

RATIONALE FOR INDICATOR SELECTION
Potable water quality is an indicator of natural environmental water quality. Any contamination may be from either natural or human impacts, but analysis provides a useful indicator for further examination of causes, and a long term record of natural water quality around human settlements.

DESIGN AND STRATEGY FOR INDICATOR MONITORING PROGRAM

Water is obtained from a number of sources dependent upon the station: from desalination plants, melt bells, natural melt lakes and natural streams.

Potable water quality is measured monthly at storage water tanks and various tap outlets around stations - mostly at the main living, sleeping and medical quarters.

Spatial Scale: Australian Antarctic stations: Australian Antarctic continental stations and Macquarie Island station.

Frequency: Monthly

Measurement Technique: Test is conducted by either the Station Medical Officer or the Station Plumber for the following parameters: pH, conductivity, turbidity and faecal coliforms (E coli).

RESEARCH ISSUES

Testing is used primarily to determine health of potable water for consumption. However testing may show either natural or human impacts in the natural catchments of water sources. Test results that show unusual contaminant levels leads to investigation of causes, whether in the station infrastructure or natural water catchments.

LINKS TO OTHER INDICATORS

SOE Indicator 48 - Station and ship person days
SOE Indicator 50 - Volume of wastewater discharged from Australian Antarctic Stations
SOE Indicator 51 - Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) of wastewater discharged from Australian Antarctic Stations
SOE Indicator 52 - Suspended solids (SS) content of wastewater discharged from Australian Antarctic Stations

Lineage

Progress Code: onGoing

Notes

Purpose
Data are collected monthly by doctors to monitor the quality of the potable water supplies on station.

Data time period: 1995-05-01

This dataset is part of a larger collection

Click to explore relationships graph
Help

Related People

158.8609,-54.6198

158.8609,-54.6198

110.5276,-66.2818

110.5276,-66.2818

62.8738,-67.6026

62.8738,-67.6026

77.9673,-68.5766

77.9673,-68.5766

text: westlimit=158.8609; southlimit=-54.6198; eastlimit=158.8609; northlimit=-54.6198

text: westlimit=110.5276; southlimit=-66.2818; eastlimit=110.5276; northlimit=-66.2818

text: westlimit=62.8738; southlimit=-67.6026; eastlimit=62.8738; northlimit=-67.6026

text: westlimit=77.9673; southlimit=-68.5766; eastlimit=77.9673; northlimit=-68.5766

Subjects
AMD | AMD/AU | ANTARCTICA | CEOS | CONDUCTIVITY | CONDUCTIVITY METERS | CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA | DRINKING WATER | E COLI | EARTH SCIENCE > TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE > WATER QUALITY/WATER CHEMISTRY > CONTAMINANTS | EARTH SCIENCE > TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE > WATER QUALITY/WATER CHEMISTRY > WATER CHARACTERISTICS > CONDUCTIVITY | EARTH SCIENCE > TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE > WATER QUALITY/WATER CHEMISTRY > WATER CHARACTERISTICS > POTABILITY | EARTH SCIENCE > TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE > WATER QUALITY/WATER CHEMISTRY > WATER CHARACTERISTICS > TURBIDITY | EARTH SCIENCE > TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE > WATER QUALITY/WATER CHEMISTRY > WATER CHARACTERISTICS > pH | FIXED OBSERVATION STATIONS | GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR | LABORATORY | MACQUARIE ISLAND | OCEAN > SOUTHERN OCEAN | OCEAN > SOUTHERN OCEAN > MACQUARIE ISLAND | PH | PH METERS | POTABLE WATER | STATIONS | TURBIDITY | WATER QUALITY | environment | geoscientificInformation | health | inlandWaters |

User Contributed Tags    

Login to tag this record with meaningful keywords to make it easier to discover

Other Information
Download the dataset (GET DATA > DIRECT DOWNLOAD)

url : https://data.aad.gov.au/eds/6251/download

Citation reference for this metadata record and dataset. (VIEW RELATED INFORMATION)

url : https://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/metadata/citation.cfm?entry_id=SOE_potable_water_quality

Identifiers
  • global : SOE_potable_water_quality
ACN 633 798 857