This paper explains how the results of the source water characterisation for the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project in South East Queensland was used to augment the qualitative water quality risk assessment process and design of the monitoring programs. Results were evaluated against health standards published in 2008 by Queensland Health and also against level of reporting. This determined the relative risk of exceeding the health standard for parameters detected in the source. The relative risk was used to inform the qualitative risk assessment as well as the frequency of monitoring in both the source and purified water. Categorising hazards using their ionic charge and hydrophobicity enabled the selection of indicators for both source and purified water compliance monitoring programs.