❓ Question regarding compliance of the Geraldton Wastewater Treatment Plant (GWWTP) with its Environmental Protection Act licenses. The GWWTP is currently compliant, but has had past breaches related to data reporting and waste disposal.
AnsweredQoN 2359Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Geraldton Waste Water Treatment Plant (GWWTP), and ask, -
(1) Is the GWWTP currently compliant with the conditions of its
Environmental Protection Act 1986
sewage facility license?
(2) If no to (1), what are the matters subject to the breach of license and what remedial action is required to bring about compliance?
(3) Is the GWWTP currently compliant with the conditions of its
Environmental Protection Act 1986
liquid waste facility license?
(4) If no to (3), what are the matters subject to the breach of license and what remedial action is required to bring about compliance?
(5) Has the GWWTP ever breached conditions of its
Environmental Protection Act 1986
sewage treatment facility license or liquid waste facility license?
(6) If yes to (5), what are the matters subject to the breach of license and what remedial action was required to bring about compliance?
(1) Is the GWWTP currently compliant with the conditions of its
Environmental Protection Act 1986
sewage facility license?
(2) If no to (1), what are the matters subject to the breach of license and what remedial action is required to bring about compliance?
(3) Is the GWWTP currently compliant with the conditions of its
Environmental Protection Act 1986
liquid waste facility license?
(4) If no to (3), what are the matters subject to the breach of license and what remedial action is required to bring about compliance?
(5) Has the GWWTP ever breached conditions of its
Environmental Protection Act 1986
sewage treatment facility license or liquid waste facility license?
(6) If yes to (5), what are the matters subject to the breach of license and what remedial action was required to bring about compliance?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 June 2010
Responded by
Minister for Environment
Response time
42 days
(1-2) Yes. In responding to these questions, I have assumed that the Honourable Member is referring to the Geraldton Wastewater Treatment Plant (GWWTP) No. 2 in Wonthella.
(3-4) Not applicable - the GWWTP does not hold a licence for liquid waste.
(5-6) The GWWTP has breached its licence conditions for incomplete submission of required monitoring data and incorrect disposal of a minor amount of solid waste on-site.
The Water Corporation's 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 Annual Environmental Reports (AER) for the GWWTP did not contain data for total dissolved solids as required by its licence conditions.
The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) wrote to the Water Corporation on 18 February 2008 requesting that the data be included in its 2007/2008 AER. However, the 2007/2008 AER did not contain the required data and DEC wrote to the Water Corporation again on 6 April 2009, requesting the data and an explanation as to why the Water Corporation was not complying with its licence conditions. The Water Corporation's subsequent 2008/09 AER contained all the data required by its licence conditions.
In regard to the incorrect disposal of solid waste, an inspection of the GWWTP on 30 July 2004 found that a small amount of sludge had been dried on a concrete hardstand and buried on-site. The former Department of Environment sent an inspection report to the Water Corporation on 9 August 2004, requiring future sludge to be directed to the primary pond instead of the concrete hardstand.
The Water Corporation has since improved its reporting and waste management systems to ensure breaches of this nature do not occur again.
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(3-4) Not applicable - the GWWTP does not hold a licence for liquid waste.
(5-6) The GWWTP has breached its licence conditions for incomplete submission of required monitoring data and incorrect disposal of a minor amount of solid waste on-site.
The Water Corporation's 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 Annual Environmental Reports (AER) for the GWWTP did not contain data for total dissolved solids as required by its licence conditions.
The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) wrote to the Water Corporation on 18 February 2008 requesting that the data be included in its 2007/2008 AER. However, the 2007/2008 AER did not contain the required data and DEC wrote to the Water Corporation again on 6 April 2009, requesting the data and an explanation as to why the Water Corporation was not complying with its licence conditions. The Water Corporation's subsequent 2008/09 AER contained all the data required by its licence conditions.
In regard to the incorrect disposal of solid waste, an inspection of the GWWTP on 30 July 2004 found that a small amount of sludge had been dried on a concrete hardstand and buried on-site. The former Department of Environment sent an inspection report to the Water Corporation on 9 August 2004, requiring future sludge to be directed to the primary pond instead of the concrete hardstand.
The Water Corporation has since improved its reporting and waste management systems to ensure breaches of this nature do not occur again.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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