A raw sewage pipe could have been leaking for more than a month in a Miners Rest wetland before it was discovered.
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Central Highlands Water has been fined $7,773 for the sewage leak, which was in contravention of the Environment Protection Act.
The Environmental Protection Agency said a member of the community noticed a foul odour in a stormwater retention wetland on the Western Freeway in March.
CHW confirmed in March 2017 that raw sewage had been leaking from a rising main pipe and that it could have been going on for some time.
Water sampling of the wetland by EPA confirmed that E.coli (bacteria) levels were very high.
CHW took remedial action including removing contaminated water and erecting warning signs. Water in the wetland was also aerated for several weeks to reduce the bacteria levels.
Testing continued through March and April to ensure water had returned to an acceptable quality both at the location and downstream and the effects from the spill are no longer being seen in the wetlands.
It is estimated that the sewage was leaking from the rising main for over a month,” said South West Acting Manager Alison Muscroft.
“Raw sewage is likely to cause an environmental hazard when spilt into a waterway. In this instance, the wetland has environmental significance overlays for watercourse protection.
“Although the rising main was not damaged intentionally the consequences of not knowing if a pipe is ruptured for an extended period can cause significant impact on the environment and our waterways.
“EPA expects duty holders such as CHW to have systems and processes in place so that they know the condition of their assets and to ensure their integrity is maintained,” she said.
Clarification: This article originally contained in incorrect image of the Miners Rest quarry. The quarry is not related to the story. The Courier apologises for the error.