Tumut
Indicator: Discharge to Waters
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
What the results tell us for Tumut
Effluent from Tumut, Adelong, Talbingo, Batlow and Brungle is treated at sewage treatment plants operated by Tumut Shire Council in each of the townships. Effluent generated in areas outside of the townships is treated in on-site systems. Septic tanks and composting toilets are commonly used in the rural areas of Tumut Shire.
The NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) regulates most sewage treatment systems owned by state and local government. DECC have issued the following licenses relating to discharges to water in Tumut Shire:
- Tumut Sewage Treatment Works is licensed to discharge to the effluent drain to Gilmore Creek 500m west of the sewage treatment plant. The maximum daily volume for this plant is 3300 KL/day. This limit was increased from 22 September 2008, after the reporting period to 7,500 KL/day, when the discharge conditions were changed to discharging to the pit immediately downstream of the Ultra Violet (UV) disinfection system. The Tumut Water Filtration plant is licensed to discharge to waters, from the settling ponds to Tumut River, with a maximum daily limit of 300 KL/day.
- Adelong Sewage Treatment plant is licensed to discharge a maximum daily limit of 1,000 KL/day to Adelong Creek. The discharge comes from the outlet pipe to the east bank of the creek, 800m east of Adelong.
- Talbingo Raw Water Treatment Plant is licensed to discharge to a pondage area from the outlet of sludge lagoons, with a maximum monthly volume of 600 KL/month. The Talbingo Sewerage Treatment Plant is licensed to discharge from the effluent drain into the wetland, and subsequently to Lake Jounama. The plant has a maximum daily limit of 1,000 KL/day and an annual limit of 100 ML/year.
- Batlow Sewage Treatment Plant is licensed to discharge into a storage pond, which then discharges into unnamed creek, flowing to Little Gilmore Creek 800m east of Batlow. The plant also discharges to the Memorial Park, Golf Course and Hockey field. The plant has a maximum daily discharge of 750 KL/day and 1,000 KL/day.
- Brungle Sewage Treatment System is licensed to the Tumut River via an 80mm submerged pipe within the road reserve adjoining the eastern bank of the river. The plant has a maximum daily volume of 50 KL/day.
The Department of Environment and Climate Change also licences the Jounama Dam Construction Site to discharge to waters with a maximum limit of 100 ML/year. This license was approved in November 2007 to Snowy Hydro Limited. This company also has a licence to discharge 250 KL/day from the Cabramurra Town Sewage Treatment Plant into local creeks.
The reduced flow regime of the Tumut River over the reporting period means that the environmental impacts of these discharges (Table 1) are of greater significance than the discharges would be under a regular flow regime.
| Licensed/ unlicensed |
Volume (ML/year) | Type | Estimated volume discharged illegally (L/year) | Estimated volume discharged accidentally (L/year) | Receiving waters | Mass load of nitrogen (kg) | Mass load of phosphorus (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–05 | |||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2005–06 | |||||||
| Licensed | 733 | Effluent (STP) | Nil | Nil | Gilmore Creek | 8108 | 132 |
| Licensed | 61 | Effluent (WTP) | Nil | Nil | Tumut River | Unknown | Unknown |
| Licensed | 87 | Effluent (STP) | Nil | Nil | Adelong Creek | 411 | 16 |
| Licensed | 112 | Effluent (STP) | Nil | Nil | Unnamed Creek | 1854 | 80 |
| Licensed | 38 | Effluent (STP) | Nil | Nil | Lake Jounama | 122 | 10 |
| Licensed | 207 | Effluent (WTP) | Nil | Nil | Stream | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2006–07 | |||||||
| Licensed | 541 | Effluent (STP) | Nil | Nil | Gilmore Creek | 10,724 | 195 |
| Licensed | 45 | Effluent (WTP) | Nil | Nil | Tumut River | Unknown | Unknown |
| Licensed | 67 | Effluent (STP) | Nil | Nil | Adelong Creek | 193 | 8 |
| Licensed | 95 | Effluent (STP) | Nil | Nil | Unnamed Creek | 1654 | 832 |
| Licensed | 28 | Effluent (STP) | Nil | Nil | Lake Jounama | 91 | 4 |
| Licensed | 0.5 | Effluent (WTP) | Nil | Nil | Stream | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2007–08 | |||||||
| Licensed | 576 | Effluent (STP) | Nil | Nil | Gilmore Creek | 7717 | 288 |
| Licensed | Unknown | Effluent (WTP) | Nil | Nil | Tumut River | Unknown | Unknown |
| Licensed | 70 | Effluent (STP) | Nil | Nil | Adelong Creek | 272 | 18 |
| Licensed | 123 | Effluent (STP) | Nil | Nil | Unnamed Creek | 2232 | 826 |
| Licensed | 30 | Effluent (STP) | Nil | Nil | Lake Jounama | 57 | 4.5 |
| Licensed | 3 | Effluent (WTP) | Nil | Nil | Stream | Unknown | Unknown |
Source: Tumut Shire Council
In 2004-05 the Talbingo water treatment plant exceeded the limits for total suspended solids and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) once. The total suspended solids were also exceeded once in 2005-06 due a storm event.
The Brungle plant exceeded the concentration limits for phosphorus; suspended solids and total nitrogen once during 2007-08, no other non-compliances were reported for the reporting period.
The Adelong plant also exceeded the concentration limits for BOD, suspended solids and pH, two, three and seven times respectively, in 2004-05. In 2005-06, the suspended solids limit was exceeded on six occasions, and the pH three times. The pH level was also exceeded once in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
The Batlow sewage treatment plant exceeded the BOD limit on four occasions in 2004-05, due to trickling filter biomass being affected by occasional illegal dumping of some type of chemical into the sewage system. The suspended solids limit was also exceeded once in 2004-05 because of an algal growth. In 2006-07 and 2007-08, the pH and suspended solids limits were exceeded twice and once, respectively.
On 13 November 2004, the Tumut plant exceeded the daily volume limit of 3,300 KL/day by 2,888 KL, following 45mm of rainfall over the previous 24 hour period. The BOD limit was also exceeded once during 2004-05. The maximum daily volume limit was also exceeded once and the pH limit on three times in 2005-06.
The Talbingo Sewerage Treatment Plant exceeded the pH limit on three occasions due to an algal growth in 2004-05, as well as exceeding the suspended solids limit on two occasions in 2005-06. These limits were also exceeded each once in 2007-08.
Trade waste agreements
Tumut Shire Council has a trade waste sewer pre-treatment program that is well advanced and all causal premises have appliances fitted for the removing of grease & oils at the source. These nuisance materials are then transported for proper disposal. However, a lack of staff resources has prevented the formalisation of all of the agreements at the time of reporting, but the work on the program is continuing.
About the data
Information was supplied by Tumut Shire Council. Additional information was obtained from the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change’s public register of protection licences.
References
Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW (2008), Public Register for Licences, Applications or Notices, Environment Protect Licence, Section 55 Protection of the Environment Operations Act, viewed at http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/prpoeoapp/searchregister.aspx on 30 September 2008.
