Toxic chemicals from firefighting foam have been found at the Queensland ports of Gladstone and Bundaberg, with further tests needed to determine if it has contaminated groundwater.
The Gladstone Ports Corporation revealed the chemical contamination, known as PFAS, on Friday, but assured residents town water supplies were taken from a separate body of water.
"Some elevated concentrations of PFAS were detected on site at Port of Gladstone and the Port of Bundaberg during the preliminary testing process," it said in a statement.
"We wish to assure residents that these results do not relate to water connected to town supplies, which are used by Gladstone and Bundaberg residents for drinking."
Further testing of bores used by the ports will be undertake within the next eight weeks.
In Gladstone on Friday, Fisheries Minister Mark Furner assured residents drinking water was safe.
Drinking water is taken from Lake Awoonga, about 30km away from the Port, and the Gladstone Regional Council says it will not test the water there as a precaution.
"(Council) has been advised by Queensland Health there is no need to test the city's drinking water," it said in a statement.
"The water tested by Gladstone Ports Corporation was ground water from bores on GPC land.
"There is no relationship between these water sources."
Gladstone Mayor Matt Burnett has tried to ease concerns, telling ABC radio the levels of chemicals detected in the port were "probably very low".
"It has potential to be in groundwater and that's why they're doing the testing," the mayor said.
"It's not a very nice chemical and that's why the government put an end to use of it."
Gladstone Ports Corporation has declined to disclose the levels of PFAS found in the water, saying it would await further testing.
GPC chief executive Peter O'Sullivan said warnings against recreational fishing in waters around the ports was not required until additional testing confirmed the preliminary contamination results.
This is the second PFAS incident for Bundaberg after residents were told last month that one of the city's water supplies had been contaminated.
Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington has called on the government to order a statewide water audit.
"We believe that we need a water audit to make sure it isn't a wider issue across the state," she told reporters in Rockhampton.
Earlier this week, an independent health panel set up by the federal government found there was limited or no evidence that PFAS exposure caused disease or increased cancer risks.
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