AUTHORITIES in Far North Queensland have declared tap water in resort towns including Port Douglas unsafe to drink following an outbreak of the E. coli bacteria, which authorities are blaming on the refusal of residents of the alternate lifestyle haven to have their water chemically treated.

Residents of Port Douglas, Mowbray, Daintree Village and Rocky Point have been advised to boil drinking water after elevated levels of the bacteria were found in seven of 12 water reservoirs supplying the area.
Queensland Health issued the alert, pointing out elevated levels may have occurred because water in the area is not treated by chemicals, a move that that has been fought by locals.