❓ Mr. Redman questions the disposal of treated wastewater from the Augusta Wastewater Treatment Plant into Redman Brook and its potential impact on environmental and public health at Flinders Bay. The Minister assures that the discharge is monitored, environmentally sustainable, and poses a low health risk, with no summer flow reaching the bay and odour unlikely.
AnsweredQoN 3451Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(a) what happens to treated waste water from the stabilisation ponds;
(b) is it true that in winter, treated waste water is disposed of by surface flow into Redman Brook;
(c) is the Minister aware that Redman Brook flows into the ocean in proximity to Flinders Bay Swimming Beach;
(d) is the Minister aware that Redman Brook is the site of children’s activities over the summer period;
(e) does the discharge of treated waste water pose any threat to environmental values or to the health of people swimming or playing, either in the vicinity of, or in the brook during summer;
(f) what type and frequency monitoring is done on the Redman Brook water flows and what is the outcome of this monitoring; and
(g) what strategies are being implemented to reduce and minimise the effluent smell at Flinders Bay Swimming Beach?
(b) is it true that in winter, treated waste water is disposed of by surface flow into Redman Brook;
(c) is the Minister aware that Redman Brook flows into the ocean in proximity to Flinders Bay Swimming Beach;
(d) is the Minister aware that Redman Brook is the site of children’s activities over the summer period;
(e) does the discharge of treated waste water pose any threat to environmental values or to the health of people swimming or playing, either in the vicinity of, or in the brook during summer;
(f) what type and frequency monitoring is done on the Redman Brook water flows and what is the outcome of this monitoring; and
(g) what strategies are being implemented to reduce and minimise the effluent smell at Flinders Bay Swimming Beach?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 June 2008
Responded by
Minister for Water Resources
Response time
2 days
The treatment plant at Albany is a wastewater treatment plant not a water treatment plant.
(a) The treated wastewater from the stabilisation ponds is piped into the bush area to the south-west of the Augusta Wastewater Treatment Plant. From this pipe, the treated wastewater is discharged via eight evenly spread outlets into very small ponds (depressions) which overflow for most of the year into the surrounding bush. From there, some treated wastewater infiltrates and some flows across the ground towards Redman Brook. The distance it travels toward Redman Brook is determined by the time of year. It travels further during the winter, when the ground is naturally water-logged.
(b) Yes.
(c) Yes, predominantly in the winter.
(d) The Water Corporation is aware of summer recreational use downstream in Redman Brook, however, treated wastewater does not reach this section of the Brook during summer.
(e) No.
(f) The Water Corporation regularly monitors water quality discharge from the wastewater treatment plant, in monitoring bores surrounding the plant and at the gauging station in Redman Brook, located one kilometre upstream of Flinders Bay. This measures the flow in Redman Brook all year. The records from this gauging station show that there is no summer flow at all in Redman Brook and hence no flow through the recreational area adjacent to Flinders Bay or discharge into the Bay. Flow ceases at the gauging station site from late October or early November and does not commence again until June or July, depending on the rainfall of that particular year.
The monitoring data indicates that the discharge is environmentally sustainable and that the health risk is acceptably low.
(g) The Augusta Wastewater Treatment Plant is located a substantial distance from Flinders Bay and would not have any direct influence on air quality at Flinders Bay. As there is no flow during summer, there is no odour as a result of treated wastewater discharge. In the winter, any treated wastewater that reaches Redman Brook is highly diluted by the flow in the Brook and, in conjunction with lower winter temperatures, the risk of odour is extremely unlikely. In this regard, the Water Corporation has not received any complaint of odour. There may be other sources of odour at Flinders Bay such as rotting seaweed or the recreation area toilet block and its septic system which is adjacent to Redman Brook.
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(a) The treated wastewater from the stabilisation ponds is piped into the bush area to the south-west of the Augusta Wastewater Treatment Plant. From this pipe, the treated wastewater is discharged via eight evenly spread outlets into very small ponds (depressions) which overflow for most of the year into the surrounding bush. From there, some treated wastewater infiltrates and some flows across the ground towards Redman Brook. The distance it travels toward Redman Brook is determined by the time of year. It travels further during the winter, when the ground is naturally water-logged.
(b) Yes.
(c) Yes, predominantly in the winter.
(d) The Water Corporation is aware of summer recreational use downstream in Redman Brook, however, treated wastewater does not reach this section of the Brook during summer.
(e) No.
(f) The Water Corporation regularly monitors water quality discharge from the wastewater treatment plant, in monitoring bores surrounding the plant and at the gauging station in Redman Brook, located one kilometre upstream of Flinders Bay. This measures the flow in Redman Brook all year. The records from this gauging station show that there is no summer flow at all in Redman Brook and hence no flow through the recreational area adjacent to Flinders Bay or discharge into the Bay. Flow ceases at the gauging station site from late October or early November and does not commence again until June or July, depending on the rainfall of that particular year.
The monitoring data indicates that the discharge is environmentally sustainable and that the health risk is acceptably low.
(g) The Augusta Wastewater Treatment Plant is located a substantial distance from Flinders Bay and would not have any direct influence on air quality at Flinders Bay. As there is no flow during summer, there is no odour as a result of treated wastewater discharge. In the winter, any treated wastewater that reaches Redman Brook is highly diluted by the flow in the Brook and, in conjunction with lower winter temperatures, the risk of odour is extremely unlikely. In this regard, the Water Corporation has not received any complaint of odour. There may be other sources of odour at Flinders Bay such as rotting seaweed or the recreation area toilet block and its septic system which is adjacent to Redman Brook.
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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