Supplying safe and clean drinking water everyday

Where does Katherine's water come from?

Before water reaches the tap, it starts its journey in one of two places; the Katherine River or underground in aquifers, which is known as groundwater or bore water.

The Katherine River currently provides the majority of our water supply, with treated groundwater blended in for the remainder. We clean and filter your water in line with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines to ensure any Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) has been removed.

We are able to safely supply water all year round by treating water sourced from the Katherine River and bores.

How we use water in the Katherine region

We are working with the community to reduce our water usage and take the pressure off our groundwater supply so we can continue to meet Katherine's water needs now and into the future.

Katherine is home to over 6,000 people

Katherine's water usage is higher than similar towns

Leaks are the biggest factor contributing to water waste.

To continue providing safe drinking water for Katherine residents is a huge responsibility for Power and Water.

Dan McIvor | Senior Field Supervisor, Power and Water

We  treat our water to ensure it's safe to drink straight from the tap Katherine: Water sourced Katherine River and ten per cent ground water. It is then treated, tested, stored and delivered to homes.

Protection and planning

Our current and future needs

As Katherine grows, we are investing in solutions that can support Katherine's water needs well into the future. Construction of a PFAS treatment plant is complete and has the capacity to treat up to 10 million litres of water per day. This gives us more flexibility in how we source water in Katherine to meet demand.

PFAS treatment and monitoring in Katherine

To ensure our groundwater is clean and safe to drink we worked with the Department of Defence to build a permanent PFAS treatment plant in Katherine.

Learn more about PFAS monitoring and treatment

Compulsory water conservation measures

We continue to progressively increase the amount of groundwater we treat, however we need to be mindful of our water sources that we use for Katherine's water supply. Measures remain in place to reduce water usage.

Learn more about compulsory water conservation measures