Angelica McLean mixes baby formula with bottled water to protect her four-month-old daughter from toxic chemicals in her community's water supply.
Every two days, the 24-year-old Warburton mum buys a 15-litre container of water so baby Bluebell has safe water to drink and bathe in.
Ms McLean said not everyone in the community could afford multiple containers of water each week.
Many towns and remote Aboriginal communities in Western Australia like Warburton, 750 kilometres north-east of Kalgoorlie, get their water from bores that tap into underground water reservoirs.
Christine Jeffries-Stokes, a paediatrician and one of the chief investigators for the Western Desert Kidney Project, has conducted extensive research on links between nitrates in drinking water and kidney disease.
She said the chemicals were particularly toxic to babies but could also harm adults.
This can lead to blue baby syndrome, a potentially fatal condition.
Dr Jeffries-Stokes said nitrates have been associated with an increased risk of stillbirth, birth defects, thyroid disease, type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.
WA Department of Communities deputy director general Catherine Stoddart said the government regularly provided free bottled water for infants under three months of age to the Warburton Health Clinic.
Both Dr Jeffries-Stokes and Ms McLean said many Warburton families were not aware of how to access the free bottled water.
New water plant to treat toxic supply
Last month, the state government completed a $3.4 million water treatment plant in Warburton to address its high levels of contaminants.
It includes an ultrafiltration system, a reverse osmosis plant, a wastewater pipeline, and an evaporation pond.
Ms Stoddart said water from the plant was tested and supply to the community began last month.
Ngaanyatjarraku Shire President Damian McLean confirmed the new system was switched off shortly after it was turned on in December.
Mr McLean said that was due to the reverse osmosis system drawing more water than was stored and supplied in the community.
He said the system was offline pending a resolution to the storage and supply issue.
Nitrates aren't the only issue
Mr McLean said he welcomed the new treatment plant, but along with problems in the source water, Warburton had been grappling with ageing and cracked water pipes for decades.
He said he wanted a commitment to replace the pipes because when they burst, contaminants can get into the drinking supply.
A National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) spokesperson said it was in discussions with the WA Department of Communities and the Warburton community to make a financial contribution towards replacing the pipes.
The federal authority said the government understood detailed costings were being prepared for funding partners to consider.
Dr Jeffries-Stokes said action towards fixing the damaged pipes needed to be taken now.
Maintenance vital
Mr McLean said the maintenance of the water treatment plant will be funded through the WA government's Remote Essential and Municipal Services and he was confident it will be well kept.
"We've got qualified plumbers, electricians, and maintenance fitters [and] these units are pretty evolved on what has been installed," he said.
Moving forward, Dr Jeffries-Stokes said maintaining the treatment plant and fixing the pipes will be essential for Warburton's access to potable water.
