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We're changing the way Sapphire looks
Same platform, new visual identity. Learn more: Sapphire is becoming NHMRC Grant Management System.
The Water Quality Advisory Committee provides expert advice on drinking water quality and public health.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Water Quality Advisory Committee (the Committee) provides expert advice to NHMRC on public health issues related to drinking water quality.
The primary role of the Committee is the rolling review of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (the Guidelines). Other activities in the Committee's Work Plan are outlined below.
Committee members provide expertise in the fields of microbiology, toxicology, water quality risk assessment and management, water chemistry and recycling, groundwater hydrology, risk communication, emerging contaminants, guidelines and methodology. Jurisdictional representatives with knowledge of implementing the Guidelines are also members. The Committee has observer members from the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme.
Committee members are members of professional networks and consult within and outside these networks to provide expert advice on water quality issues nationally and internationally.
The Committee may convene working groups to focus on targeted Work Plan activities and may source additional experts where appropriate.
Water quality is an important issue requiring a specialist committee to provide technical advice and expertise to the NHMRC. This is part of NHMRC's commitment in its Corporate Plan to maintain a leadership role in the development of public and environmental health advice.
The Committee will:
In consultation with NHMRC, the Committee may source additional expertise to conduct its activities if required.
The Committee will report to the Council of NHMRC. Appointments to the Committee will commence on 27 January 2026 and conclude on 31 December 2028.
The Committee work plan has been developed with input from Commonwealth and state/ territory agencies involved in water quality management, industry groups, water suppliers and the general public.
The current activities of the Committee include:
To ensure the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines remain relevant and reflect the latest scientific knowledge, NHMRC reviews prioritised sections of the Guidelines with advice from the Water Quality Advisory Committee.
Read NHMRC’s update on the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (published 25 June 2025).
Members are appointed for their expertise and experience across a diverse range of professions and fields. NHMRC also takes into consideration balancing the benefit of having persons with expertise against the risks of their interests biasing a process. Committee members are required to disclose their interests on an ongoing basis, in line with NHMRC's Policy on the Disclosure of Interests Requirements for Prospective and Appointed NHMRC Committee Members. This policy reflects the disclosure of interest requirements in section 42A of the NHMRC Act and subsection 29(2) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act).
Members are asked to identify, to the best of their ability, interests related to drinking water quality including:
A summary of each members' declared interests is provided below. Throughout the project members are required to inform NHMRC of any changes to their interests, and management strategies are put in place as needed.
Discipline lead of Chemistry, Curtin University
Expertise in analytical chemistry with a focus on disinfection by-products, both in terms of formation, detection and analysis of the chemicals.
Professor in Environmental Engineering, Queensland University of Technology
Extensive experience in health-related water microbiology as a researcher/ academic, mostly in the field of environmental pathogen detection, fate and transport interpretation (via Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment).
Principal Water Quality Adviser, Health Regulation and Protection, SA Health
Expertise in water regulation, microbiology and risk assessment.
State Water officer, Tasmanian Department of Health
Expertise in environmental science, water quality and risk management, auditing, public health.
Principal toxicologist and risk assessor at Frangos Toxicology Consulting
Expertise in toxicology, risk assessments of environmental, occupational and chemical hazards.
Associate Professor in Health and Medical Humanities at Sydney Health Ethics, the University of Sydney
Expertise in research and advocacy in risk communication, particularly in relation to infectious disease, and the creative arts and health.
Professor of Chemistry, School of Science, RMIT
Expertise across many areas of chemistry (analytical, biological, environmental) and chemical/ environmental engineering (water technology and hydrology).
School of Environment and Science, Griffith University
Expertise in environmental toxicology, chemical pollutants in the environment, endocrine disruption, bioanalytical tools in water quality assessment, chemical risk assessment and guideline development.
Laureate Professor & Founding Director, Global Centre for Environmental Research, University of Newcastle
CEO & Managing Director, CRC for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE)
Expertise in environmental contaminants, bioavailability, and remediation, with a current research focus on contaminated soil, water and potential impacts of contaminants on human health.
Water regulation, water microbiology, scientific and environmental policy expert
Manager, Water Unit, Environmental Health Branch, Health Protection, NSW Health
Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water
Represents interests of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and the Water Quality team from the National Strategies and Assessments section of the Water Policy Division in particular.
Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme
Principal Scientist for the Scientific Practice Section
• No interests declared.