Issues raised in the Regional Towns Water Quality and Security Review, which tested water in regional towns with populations of 2000-15,000, included taste and odour issues, increasing salinity and unsustainable water extraction.

Infrastructure Australia national co-ordinator Michael Deegan said taste could be influenced by temperature, total dissolved solids (TDS) in the supply and the acidity (pH) levels.

In samples taken from water near Strathalbyn and Mount Barker which draw from the Murray, 70 percent did not meet recommended pH levels and 14 pc lacked clarity.

Mr Deegan said towns sharing the same water source usually shared the same risks.

Increasing salinity in the River Murray was highlighted as a critical factor for the continued quality of drinking water which would worsen with rising river levels.

Mr Deegan said increased flows while bringing benefit to the river system also brought a number of problems.

“These include raised salt levels, increased turbidity (clarity) and contamination from animal wastes,” he said.

“This raises the risk levels, but depending on the effectiveness of action taken to mitigate these risks in the treatment process, it is possible that the communities will not be adversely affected.

“The review highlighted that regional communities face a number of risks to the healthiness of their drinking water.

“While the risks are not the same in each state or town the key priority is that regional communities deserve to be confident hat health risks from water are being well managed.”

Growing communities such as Murray Bridge, Strathalbyn and Mount Barker are also putting pressure on the system with current water extraction considered unsustainable.

Mr Deegan said the review found there was better planning needed to cope with increased demand on water supplies.

“There is a need for better planning for both water quality as well as security of supply,” he said.