Media statement: the department investigates wastewater overflow from Caboolture sewerage pipe
18 Jan 2008
The department is investigating an overflow of treated wastewater from Caboolture Shire Council’s sewer pipes onto the State Government’s Binary cleanup site and into Saltwater Creek on Wednesday.
About 100,000L of treated wastewater, which was being discharged to the sewer under a trade waste agreement between the owners of the Binary site and Council, is believed to have overflowed through a manhole as a result of a blockage in the sewer pipe. The blockage has since been cleared by Council staff.
Fortunately, a departmental officer on site at the time of the overflow arranged for the discharge to the sewer to be halted, and alerted Council officers who quickly excavated collection pits, enabling a substantial quantity (estimated 25,000L) of the wastewater to be captured and taken away for disposal.
The department and Council have collected water samples from the tributary and from Saltwater Creek to see if there are any environmental impacts. The wastewater contained very low levels of contaminants and was heavily diluted after entering the creek, which was flowing strongly after recent heavy rainfall.
The department has been advised by Queensland Health that there is no need for specific public health measures in response to the release of the highly diluted material into the creek.
The department and Council will continue their investigations into the spill.
The department recently completed a major clean-up of the creek and adjacent land which was heavily contaminated during a fire at the Binary factory site in August 2005.
Approximately 20 million litres of contaminated water and 4000 tonnes of contaminated soil have been removed from the site during the clean-up.
Released by: Environmental Protection Agency
Last updated: 18 January 2008