Council's director Infrastructure and Engineering, Rob Scott was pretty confident before the report was received that the deterioration of the water pipes on some Gloucester properties wasn't a result of the level of chlorine and wasn't surprised by the findings.

"It was a good opportunity to review the water quality data over the last 10 years for the Gloucester water supply scheme and findings will help us make plans for the future," Mr Scott said. "It is not uncommon for water supplies along the eastern coast to be slightly soft. This means that soap and shampoo will tend to lather well but it also means there is a risk of corrosion to metallic pipes."

The council report summarised that copper pipe corrosion is a worldwide concern, and that in Australia, extensive research has been undertaken into the issue.

Related: Council responds to Gloucester community copper pipe concerns

"A copper corrosion survey of 128 local government councils in country NSW was carried out by the Department of Land and Water Conservation (DLWC) in 1999. This research indicated 32 per cent of respondents reported some form of corrosion, such as pitting or blue water," the council report stated.

'Pitting' is a damaging localised, non-uniform corrosion that forms pits or holes in the pipe surface. 'Blue water' appears as a milky blue to green water associated with copper corrosion that results in the release of high levels of suspended copper into potable water distribution systems.

The independent review of Gloucester's Water Treatment Plant (WTP) was undertaken by City Water Technology and revealed the following:

* The treated water meets all health and aesthetic treated water quality targets as set out in the ADWG (2011). with one exception being that the pH was above 8.5 and is likely to lead to scaling - not corrosion.

* There was evidence to suggest the water is corrosive to some degree. This is typical where raw water is drawn from locations on the east coast of Australia and in Tasmania which are typically low in alkalinity and hardness.

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Gloucester's water corrosivity was benchmarked against five sites along the eastern fringe of Australia, one in southwestern NSW, one in the ACT and one in central Victoria. On average, Gloucester came up on the low side of the scale.

At the council meeting, councillors resolved to note the report and investigate the potential options and costs associated with interim and long term modification of the treatment process to provide greater water conditioning for customers. Council plans to contact the concerned property owners and plumbers to let them know about the report.

Mr Scott reiterated the positive outcome of the Gloucester water report as it provides evidence to support plans for future upgrades.

The report also had recommendations for customers to help avoid corrosion in the future. Along with suggesting they consider the type of pipe material when building or renovating, it also recommended flushing pipelines that aren't frequently used. It spoke about the growth of biofilms - which can cause corrosion - in water that is no longer chlorinated, as chlorine dissipates over time.

"A great suggestion for people is when they are looking to fill up a bucket at an outdoor tap to think about using the tap that isn't used often at the back of the property, furthest away from the main line," Mr Scott said. "That way the water in the pipes will get flushed out and the water isn't wasted."

The report is available on MidCoast Council's website.