Water that is safe to drink and safe to use in food handling, handwashing and cleaning.
Water that is safe to drink and safe to use in food handling, handwashing and cleaning. Potable water is water of drinking quality, meaning it is safe to consume and safe to use for preparing food, washing hands, and cleaning and sanitising equipment. Standard 3.2.3 of the Food Standards Code requires food premises to have an adequate supply of water where water is used, and where potable water is required it must be used. Hand basins in particular must be supplied with warm running potable water. Water quality matters because contaminated water can carry bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemicals directly into food or onto surfaces and hands. In most Australian food businesses the potable supply comes from a reticulated town mains connection that already meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Where a business relies on another source, such as rainwater tanks or bore water, it must take steps to ensure that water is safe for its intended food use. For a typical Australian venue on town water, meeting this requirement is straightforward: mains water is used for drinking, food preparation, ice, handwashing and cleaning. Hand basins are plumbed with warm running potable water plus soap and single-use towels so staff can wash effectively. Operators keep plumbing in good repair to avoid backflow or cross-connections that could contaminate the supply. Businesses not connected to a reticulated supply, such as remote venues, mobile vendors or events using tank or bore water, need to manage the risk. That can mean treating or testing the water, using it only for suitable purposes, or carting in potable water. If a boil-water alert or supply problem occurs, the business follows the local authority's advice and may need to switch to bottled or treated water for food and handwashing. A food van operating at a regional market fills its tank from a certified potable water source before the event and uses it for handwashing, rinsing produce and making coffee. By not relying on an untested tap of unknown quality on site, the operator ensures the water touching food and hands is safe, meeting the water supply requirement in Standard 3.2.3.
Frequently asked questions
What does potable water mean?
Potable water is water that is safe to drink and safe to use in food handling, handwashing, and cleaning and sanitising. In Australia it generally means water meeting the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, most often supplied by town mains.
Does the Code require potable water in food premises?
Yes. Standard 3.2.3 requires an adequate supply of water, and where potable water is needed it must be used. Hand basins must be supplied with warm running potable water so food handlers can wash their hands effectively.
Can a food business use rainwater or bore water?
Only if it is safe for the intended food use. Businesses using tank or bore water must manage the risk, which may involve treatment, testing or restricting its use. If the water cannot be assured as potable, it should not contact food or hands.
What should a business do during a boil-water alert?
Follow the local authority's advice. This usually means using boiled, treated or bottled water for drinking, food preparation, ice and handwashing until the alert is lifted, to avoid contaminating food with unsafe water.
Why must hand basins have warm potable water?
Warm running potable water helps handwashing work: it makes soap more effective at lifting soil and bacteria, and it ensures the water itself is safe. The Code specifies warm running potable water at hand basins for this reason.
