❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the Minister for the Environment regarding the Water Corporation's responsibility for nutrient management in the Swan River, following a sewage spill and a $325,000 feasibility study into nutrient removal.
AnsweredQoN 3394Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
With regard to a media statement of 3 March 2006, from the Department of Environment entitled ‘Big Win for Swan River over Water Corporation Spill’, I ask -
(1) Can the Minister confirm if the Water Corporation has some level of responsibility to better manage the nutrients flowing into the Swan River directly and indirectly from its main drains?
(2) If not, why not?
(3) Is it reasonable to expect that the Water Corporation should already be investing research into removal of nutrients associated with drains for which it has responsible management?
(4) Will the Minister be pressing for the Water Corporation to invest considerably more than $ 325 000 in nutrient management trials for the Swan River?
(5) If not, why not?
(6) Does the Minister support the view of the Department of Environment that $ 325 000 for a feasibility study into testing nutrient removal materials substantially outweighs the impact of having the Swan River closed to public access due to an unhealthy excess of sewage?
(7) If not, why not?
(8) Will the Minister ensure that public health and amenity in the Swan River will be valued by the Department of Environment as significantly higher than a $ 325 000 contribution to a nutrient removal feasibility study in the event of future sewage spills resulting in a loss of public access and amenity?
(9) If not, why not?
(1) Can the Minister confirm if the Water Corporation has some level of responsibility to better manage the nutrients flowing into the Swan River directly and indirectly from its main drains?
(2) If not, why not?
(3) Is it reasonable to expect that the Water Corporation should already be investing research into removal of nutrients associated with drains for which it has responsible management?
(4) Will the Minister be pressing for the Water Corporation to invest considerably more than $ 325 000 in nutrient management trials for the Swan River?
(5) If not, why not?
(6) Does the Minister support the view of the Department of Environment that $ 325 000 for a feasibility study into testing nutrient removal materials substantially outweighs the impact of having the Swan River closed to public access due to an unhealthy excess of sewage?
(7) If not, why not?
(8) Will the Minister ensure that public health and amenity in the Swan River will be valued by the Department of Environment as significantly higher than a $ 325 000 contribution to a nutrient removal feasibility study in the event of future sewage spills resulting in a loss of public access and amenity?
(9) If not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
23 May 2006
Responded by
Minister for the Environment
Response time
42 days
(1) Section 27(1)(b) of the Water Corporation Act 1985 S27(1)(b) specifically lists functions which may be read that the Water Corporation has a role in treating stormwater. (2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation is already investing funds into nutrient reduction projects. The Corporation is a partner in the Swan River Trust's Drainage Nutrient Intervention Program, such as the Liege Street Drain wetland. The Corporation has its own total water cycle program and is also working with the Departments of Environment and Water to develop new technologies for nutrient reduction especially in new developments. In this area, a joint technical panel works to modify traditional drainage design such that nutrient losses are minimised. (4) The Government is continuing to look at the best arrangements for managing the drainage network, including managing drainage for water quality as well as flood mitigation. This includes considering the role of the Water Corporation in drainage management. New resources have been provided to the Department of Water for Arterial Drainage Design which will include nutrient reduction as key component. (5) Not applicable. (6) Sewage spills can cause an acute event in the river, with bacterial levels rendering sections of the river unsafe for primary contact. This is highly undesirable and the Water Corporation has been obliged to spend many millions of dollars upgrading its wastewater conveyance system. Major works are ongoing to upgrade and employ backup systems where sewer lines cross the Swan and Canning rivers. Nutrients in the drains and waterways contribute to the chronic problem of algal blooms. Both issues are being addressed by the Government. (7) Not applicable. (8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation is already investing funds into nutrient reduction projects. The Corporation is a partner in the Swan River Trust's Drainage Nutrient Intervention Program, such as the Liege Street Drain wetland. The Corporation has its own total water cycle program and is also working with the Departments of Environment and Water to develop new technologies for nutrient reduction especially in new developments. In this area, a joint technical panel works to modify traditional drainage design such that nutrient losses are minimised. (4) The Government is continuing to look at the best arrangements for managing the drainage network, including managing drainage for water quality as well as flood mitigation. This includes considering the role of the Water Corporation in drainage management. New resources have been provided to the Department of Water for Arterial Drainage Design which will include nutrient reduction as key component. (5) Not applicable. (6) Sewage spills can cause an acute event in the river, with bacterial levels rendering sections of the river unsafe for primary contact. This is highly undesirable and the Water Corporation has been obliged to spend many millions of dollars upgrading its wastewater conveyance system. Major works are ongoing to upgrade and employ backup systems where sewer lines cross the Swan and Canning rivers. Nutrients in the drains and waterways contribute to the chronic problem of algal blooms. Both issues are being addressed by the Government. (7) Not applicable. (8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(3) The Water Corporation is already investing funds into nutrient reduction projects. The Corporation is a partner in the Swan River Trust's Drainage Nutrient Intervention Program, such as the Liege Street Drain wetland. The Corporation has its own total water cycle program and is also working with the Departments of Environment and Water to develop new technologies for nutrient reduction especially in new developments. In this area, a joint technical panel works to modify traditional drainage design such that nutrient losses are minimised. (4) The Government is continuing to look at the best arrangements for managing the drainage network, including managing drainage for water quality as well as flood mitigation. This includes considering the role of the Water Corporation in drainage management. New resources have been provided to the Department of Water for Arterial Drainage Design which will include nutrient reduction as key component. (5) Not applicable. (6) Sewage spills can cause an acute event in the river, with bacterial levels rendering sections of the river unsafe for primary contact. This is highly undesirable and the Water Corporation has been obliged to spend many millions of dollars upgrading its wastewater conveyance system. Major works are ongoing to upgrade and employ backup systems where sewer lines cross the Swan and Canning rivers. Nutrients in the drains and waterways contribute to the chronic problem of algal blooms. Both issues are being addressed by the Government. (7) Not applicable. (8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(4) The Government is continuing to look at the best arrangements for managing the drainage network, including managing drainage for water quality as well as flood mitigation. This includes considering the role of the Water Corporation in drainage management. New resources have been provided to the Department of Water for Arterial Drainage Design which will include nutrient reduction as key component. (5) Not applicable. (6) Sewage spills can cause an acute event in the river, with bacterial levels rendering sections of the river unsafe for primary contact. This is highly undesirable and the Water Corporation has been obliged to spend many millions of dollars upgrading its wastewater conveyance system. Major works are ongoing to upgrade and employ backup systems where sewer lines cross the Swan and Canning rivers. Nutrients in the drains and waterways contribute to the chronic problem of algal blooms. Both issues are being addressed by the Government. (7) Not applicable. (8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(5) Not applicable. (6) Sewage spills can cause an acute event in the river, with bacterial levels rendering sections of the river unsafe for primary contact. This is highly undesirable and the Water Corporation has been obliged to spend many millions of dollars upgrading its wastewater conveyance system. Major works are ongoing to upgrade and employ backup systems where sewer lines cross the Swan and Canning rivers. Nutrients in the drains and waterways contribute to the chronic problem of algal blooms. Both issues are being addressed by the Government. (7) Not applicable. (8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(6) Sewage spills can cause an acute event in the river, with bacterial levels rendering sections of the river unsafe for primary contact. This is highly undesirable and the Water Corporation has been obliged to spend many millions of dollars upgrading its wastewater conveyance system. Major works are ongoing to upgrade and employ backup systems where sewer lines cross the Swan and Canning rivers. Nutrients in the drains and waterways contribute to the chronic problem of algal blooms. Both issues are being addressed by the Government. (7) Not applicable. (8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(7) Not applicable. (8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(9) Not applicable.
(2) Not applicable. (3) The Water Corporation is already investing funds into nutrient reduction projects. The Corporation is a partner in the Swan River Trust's Drainage Nutrient Intervention Program, such as the Liege Street Drain wetland. The Corporation has its own total water cycle program and is also working with the Departments of Environment and Water to develop new technologies for nutrient reduction especially in new developments. In this area, a joint technical panel works to modify traditional drainage design such that nutrient losses are minimised. (4) The Government is continuing to look at the best arrangements for managing the drainage network, including managing drainage for water quality as well as flood mitigation. This includes considering the role of the Water Corporation in drainage management. New resources have been provided to the Department of Water for Arterial Drainage Design which will include nutrient reduction as key component. (5) Not applicable. (6) Sewage spills can cause an acute event in the river, with bacterial levels rendering sections of the river unsafe for primary contact. This is highly undesirable and the Water Corporation has been obliged to spend many millions of dollars upgrading its wastewater conveyance system. Major works are ongoing to upgrade and employ backup systems where sewer lines cross the Swan and Canning rivers. Nutrients in the drains and waterways contribute to the chronic problem of algal blooms. Both issues are being addressed by the Government. (7) Not applicable. (8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(3) The Water Corporation is already investing funds into nutrient reduction projects. The Corporation is a partner in the Swan River Trust's Drainage Nutrient Intervention Program, such as the Liege Street Drain wetland. The Corporation has its own total water cycle program and is also working with the Departments of Environment and Water to develop new technologies for nutrient reduction especially in new developments. In this area, a joint technical panel works to modify traditional drainage design such that nutrient losses are minimised. (4) The Government is continuing to look at the best arrangements for managing the drainage network, including managing drainage for water quality as well as flood mitigation. This includes considering the role of the Water Corporation in drainage management. New resources have been provided to the Department of Water for Arterial Drainage Design which will include nutrient reduction as key component. (5) Not applicable. (6) Sewage spills can cause an acute event in the river, with bacterial levels rendering sections of the river unsafe for primary contact. This is highly undesirable and the Water Corporation has been obliged to spend many millions of dollars upgrading its wastewater conveyance system. Major works are ongoing to upgrade and employ backup systems where sewer lines cross the Swan and Canning rivers. Nutrients in the drains and waterways contribute to the chronic problem of algal blooms. Both issues are being addressed by the Government. (7) Not applicable. (8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(4) The Government is continuing to look at the best arrangements for managing the drainage network, including managing drainage for water quality as well as flood mitigation. This includes considering the role of the Water Corporation in drainage management. New resources have been provided to the Department of Water for Arterial Drainage Design which will include nutrient reduction as key component. (5) Not applicable. (6) Sewage spills can cause an acute event in the river, with bacterial levels rendering sections of the river unsafe for primary contact. This is highly undesirable and the Water Corporation has been obliged to spend many millions of dollars upgrading its wastewater conveyance system. Major works are ongoing to upgrade and employ backup systems where sewer lines cross the Swan and Canning rivers. Nutrients in the drains and waterways contribute to the chronic problem of algal blooms. Both issues are being addressed by the Government. (7) Not applicable. (8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(5) Not applicable. (6) Sewage spills can cause an acute event in the river, with bacterial levels rendering sections of the river unsafe for primary contact. This is highly undesirable and the Water Corporation has been obliged to spend many millions of dollars upgrading its wastewater conveyance system. Major works are ongoing to upgrade and employ backup systems where sewer lines cross the Swan and Canning rivers. Nutrients in the drains and waterways contribute to the chronic problem of algal blooms. Both issues are being addressed by the Government. (7) Not applicable. (8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(6) Sewage spills can cause an acute event in the river, with bacterial levels rendering sections of the river unsafe for primary contact. This is highly undesirable and the Water Corporation has been obliged to spend many millions of dollars upgrading its wastewater conveyance system. Major works are ongoing to upgrade and employ backup systems where sewer lines cross the Swan and Canning rivers. Nutrients in the drains and waterways contribute to the chronic problem of algal blooms. Both issues are being addressed by the Government. (7) Not applicable. (8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(7) Not applicable. (8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(8) The Government has significantly boosted the Swan River Trust's budget - with an injection in 2004 of $15.5 million over four years. The independent evaluation of the Swan Canning Cleanup Program, completed in 2005, showed that the $17.5million delivered through five years of that program had leveraged another $10million from external sources. The $325,000 from the Water Corporation is yet another contribution to valuable work adding to the over all effort to restore the rivers. (9) Not applicable.
(9) Not applicable.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.