Queanbeyan
Indicator: Discharge to Waters
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
Please note: Text or data highlighted in this colour represent an update to this indicator for the period 2008/09.
What the results tell us for Queanbeyan
Queanbeyan City Council operates the Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant to treat sewage from the town before it is discharged into the Molonglo River. The plant is located in Oaks Estate, across the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) border.
Mass loads of nitrogen and phosphorus increased significantly across the reporting period (Table 1). Comprehensive details for Queanbeyan City Council can be viewed at the National Pollutant Inventory website.
| 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 | |||||||
| Licensed | 2319.9 | Sewage Effluent | Nil | Nil | Molongo River | 44,069 | 1068.6 |
| 2005–06 | |||||||
| Licensed | 3125.2 | Sewage Effluent | Nil | Nil | Molongo River | 58,859.3 | 1748.5 |
| 2006–07 | |||||||
| Licensed | 3344.9 | Sewage Effluent | Nil | Nil | Molongo River | 80,970.1 | 1653.2 |
| 2007–08 | |||||||
| Licensed | 3143.3 | Sewage Effluent | Nil | Nil | Molongo River | 75,819.3 | 2171.2 |
| 2008-09 | |||||||
| Licensed | 27760.0 | Sewage Effluent | Nil | Nil | Molongo River | 65560.9 | 1782.4 |
Source: Queanbeyan City Council
During the 2004-2008 period a number of prevention notices were issued to Queanbeyan City Council by the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) relating to discharges of untreated sewage from the system into the Queanbeyan Riverside Tourist Park, and subsequently entered the Queanbeyan River. These discharges occurred specifically on August 4, 2005 and February 15, 2006 where 11,000 litres and 15,000 litres of untreated sewage was discharged from a number of points in the sewage reticulation system maintained and operated by Council. The discharges were most likely caused by a pump failure at the Morrisset Street Sewage Pump Station. There were also further discharges prior to this in the previous reporting period.
The City Council were directed by DECC to install an underground retention system and earth bund by July 7, 2006. The Council was also to ensure that all alterations to the sewer connections within the Tourist Park and the system relating to the Tourist Park were completed by July 28, 2006. The City Council were also directed to conduct a surcharge investigation of sewage flows into the system in the vicinity of the Morrisset Street pump station to determine the most appropriate surcharge location, having regard to minimising the pollution of waters and the impacts upon human health and amenity.
As a result of the multiple prevention notices and the subsequent clean up notices, Council must provide DECC with a plan that outlines the steps the City Council will take to reduce effluent surcharges from the entire System. The City Council must record details in relation to each observed or reported overflow from the System. The City Council must also supply to DECC an Annual System Performance Report.
Trade Waste Agreements
All commercial and industrial waste dischargers to the sewerage system have to be approved by the City Council pursuant to Section 68 of the Local Government Act 1993 and have to meet conditions for pre-treatment of liquid trade waste in accordance with Department of Energy and Utilities and Sustainability Best Practice Management of Water Supply and Sewerage Guidelines.
A discharger who fails to obtain approval or fails to comply with conditions of approval will be prosecuted under section 120(1) of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.
About the data
Information was supplied by Queanbeyan City Council. Additional information was obtained from the DECC’s public register of protection licences.
References
DECC - see Department of Environment and Climate Change
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 25 September 2008.
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2008) National Pollutant Inventory, Commonwealth of Australia, viewed at http://www.npi.gov.au on 25 September 2008.
DEWHA - Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
