Lead concentration in water from drinking fountains outside of Optus Stadium exceeded the maximum threshold in Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.GETTY IMAGES
Authorities "failed to disclose their own water sampling results that indicated lead was leaching inside drinking fountains outside Optus Stadium," according to John Flint of PERTH NOW. The results, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, showed the lead concentration "exceeded the 0.01 mg/L maximum threshold in Australian Drinking Water Guidelines." In one sample, it was "three times higher." However, these results were not disclosed. A lab report was given upon request, but it did not "mention these results." Instead, stadium owner VenuesWest issued a statement to all media outlets on Feb. 27 titled "Stadium water given all clear." The "all clear" assurance was based on samples collected after "flushing the fountains for two to three minutes." By contrast, journalists tested "first flush" water samples. What was not revealed until Saturday, is that VenuesWest also took two first flush samples that "similarly revealed elevated lead levels" (PERTH NOW, 6/30).
