The Parkes Brick Pit, located on Powter Street, serves as a publicly accessible water source for limited use, such as watering gardens and supplying livestock.
Acknowledging the likely increase in its use during summer, Parkes Shire Council recently carried out water quality testing to assess its safety and suitability. The results showed that conductivity levels are currently 3650 µS/cm, indicating high salinity and rendering the water unsuitable for general use.
Michael Chambers, Manager of Environment and Sustainability at Parkes Shire Council, strongly advises residents against using water from the brick pit on gardens and turf, given current salinity levels.
"The Brick Pit's salt levels are above the acceptable threshold of around 800 µS/cm for plants, although some species can tolerate higher levels", Mr. Chambers explained.
"Using the brick pit water could cause serious issues for landholders, including soil degradation, dehydration of plants, deficiencies in essential nutrients, and ion toxicity".
Despite these concerns, Council will continue to permit residents to extract water from the brick pit, emphasising that doing so comes at their own risk.
'Residents are advised to use the water sparingly and to flush systems with potable water regularly to mitigate salt build-up and prevent long-term harm to their plants and soils,' said Mr. Chambers.
The water quality at the Brick Pit is also unsuitable for certain livestock, such as poultry and pigs. However, it remains within the safe range for horses, cattle, and sheep.
Originally developed as a brickworks site, the Brick Pit was transformed into a stormwater storage basin over 20 years ago. Since then, it has been maintained as a free resource for residents to help supplement their water supplies, particularly during dry periods.
