Melbourne Water Corporation Annual Environment and Public Health Report 1997-98 CONTENTS

1 Foreward

2 The Urban Water Cycle

3 Risk Management

5 1997/98 Significant Achievements

6 Managing ’s Water Supply

13 Managing Melbourne’s Waterways and Drainage Systems

19 Environmentally Responsible Sewerage Management

27 Appendix A

29 Appendix B

37 Appendix C

41 Appendix D

48 Appendix E

54 Appendix F

55 Appendix G

57 Feedback Sheet FOREWARD

Melbourne Water’s achievements in environment and public health management during 1997/98 were the result of a clear focus on risk and the appropriate allocation of resources. This approach demonstrates Melbourne Water’s commitment to its new risk management policy with two of the major risk focus areas being environment and public health.

A further new initiative is the independent verification of Melbourne Water’s Environment and Public Health Report. The verifier’s statement will provide assurance that the report’s assertions are an accurate and a sound record of Melbourne Water’s performance.

Melbourne Water is also committed to continually improve its performance. During the coming year, an environment and public health improvement plan will be produced and the organisation will work towards maximising the benefits from the interdependencies that exist between its water, waterways and drainage and sewerage groups.

Public accountability is of major importance to Melbourne Water and a complete set of compliance data is contained in the appendix to this report. Comparison with the previous two years performance is included where appropriate.

I am keen to ensure that Melbourne Water’s reports are readily accessible and a reference group will be appointed to provide comment on them. Your comments and suggestions would also be appreciated and a feedback sheet is included in this report.

I trust that you will find this publication an interesting and informative account of Melbourne Water’s environment and public health performance in 1997/98.

Brian Bayley

Managing Director

1 THE URBAN WATER CYCLE

Melbourne Water has a significant role in the management of the urban water cycle. Three retail water companies, South East Water, and provide water and sewerage services to the Melbourne community. Bulk water is provided by Melbourne Water to the retail companies who deliver water to their customers. Waste from customers is collected by the retail companies and provided in bulk to Melbourne Water for treatment and discharge to the environment. Municipal councils collect stormwater from local drainage catchments and pass it onto regional drainage systems managed by Melbourne Water.

The urban water cycle includes three types of catchment.

Forested catchments in the headwaters of the Yarra and Thomson Rivers. Water is harvested from these catchments, stored in major reservoirs to provide security against drought, and transported to Melbourne for use in homes, offices and factories. Water is also released from water storages to maintain healthy flows in rivers and creeks downstream. Urban and agricultural catchments collect rain water in pipes and drains from the roofs, roads, carparks, gardens, paddocks, open space and sportsgrounds in and around Melbourne. This water eventually reaches the Yarra, Maribyrnong and other rivers before flowing into and Westernport bays. Water not collected in pipes either percolates into the soil as groundwater to recharge underground aquifers or flows into the nearest water body. Melbourne Water aims to work with local councils, the Environment Protection Authority, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and local communities to improve the quality of Melbourne’s waterways. Sewerage catchments collect wastewater and transport it to Melbourne Water’s at Carrum and at Werribee . It is treated and discharged under EPA licence to and Port Phillip Bay respectively. Melbourne Water’s aim is to maximise water recycling to reduce the volume discharged to the environment and to reduce the need for any further augmentation of the water supply.

2 RISK MANAGEMENT

Melbourne Water’s risk management policy requires that risk management is applied consistently throughout the organisation. A Risk Audit Procedure which is based on risk focus areas covering Melbourne Water’s activities monitors compliance with the policy. The risk focus areas are:

Finance Assets

Environment Strategic Positioning

Insurance Corporate Governance

Managing Risk in Melbourne Water

Public health OH&S and People

Contracts Records

Public issues Information System

Elements of management systems developed to address the is the use of relevant parameters from the Australian risk focus areas include: Drinking Water Guidelines. • identifying impacts and regulatory obligations; Corporate Policies for environment and public health guide • establishing policies to guide activity; management activity. In some cases specific polices are developed for priority issues and examples are the “No • ensuring day to day management is satisfactory; Sewage Spills” and “Community Relations” policies. • developing improvement plans where required; Copies of the Environment and Public Health Policies are in • reporting internally and externally so that information is Appendix A. available for decision making; • involving the community in appropriate ways; and New Format for Next Years Report • auditing and reviewing activities to make sure they are This will be the last annual environmental and public health meeting stated objectives. report in the current format. Future reports will be prepared as components of a three part reporting process. At the Environment and Public Health Policies same time as Melbourne Water’s Annual Financial Report is released, two companion reports will be released covering Two of the risk focus areas are environment and public environmental performance and socially responsible health. Application of the risk management policy means performance. Public health matters will be included in the that Melbourne Water is fully aware of its environmental socially responsible component. and public health responsibilities and actively manages them to make sure it complies with relevant legislation. The new format will also contain more explicit performance Where there are no statutory requirements, Melbourne indicators and reporting will be against these. A document Water adopts the most appropriate guideline. An example detailing environmental and social improvement plans for Melbourne Water will be released in May of each year.

3 Incident Reporting Framework

Melbourne Water has developed an incidents hierarchy for reporting purposes. In this report the number of incidents during 1997/98 is compared with previous years.

Incident Level Broad Description of Incident Level*

Five Catastrophic incidents neededing resolution which have an irreversible environmental or serious public health impact

Four Major incidents which are serious in nature and of longer duration that result in widespread community concern

Three Incidents needing resolution with a significant environmental or public health impact

Two Minor incidents which relate to statutory requirements and/or were of longer duration

One Incidents needing resolution with a minor environmental or public health impact

* Incidents need to be attributable to Melbourne Water

On determining the level of the incident, other factors are taken into account. They include: Incident Comparison 95/96 - 97/98 110 • the degree to which Melbourne Water contributed to the incident; 88 • whether Melbourne Water had to suspend operations; 66 • whether the incident was within Melbourne Water’s control or influence; and 44

• the severity and duration of the incident. Number of Incidents 22

The following table shows the number of incidents which 0 occurred at each level in specific areas. Detail regarding 12345 these incidents is contained in the relevant section of the Incident Level report. 95/96 95/96 95/96 The graph (right) summarises how many incidents Melbourne Water has had over the last three years.

Level Sewage Spills Odours Licence Breaches Other Total 95/6 96/7 97/8 95/6 96/7 97/8 95/6 96/7 97/8 95/6 96/7 97/8 95/6 96/7 97/8 5 000000000000000 4 000000000000000 3 100000000001101 2 34 26 17 4 1 0 67 41 4 1 1 7 106 69 28 1 25 10 30 28 42 18 0 0 0 4 8 21 57 60 69

4 Risk Management 1997/98 SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS

The 100th anniversary of the first connection to • Improved efficiency in energy, chlorine and water use in Melbourne’s sewerage system was commemorated on 17 sewerage operations. August 1998. The anniversary was celebrated in a exhibition • Good progress made by CSIRO towards completion of at the Scienceworks Museum, the site of the original research for the Effluent Management Study at the pumping station. Eastern Treatment Plant.

Public Health • Completed long term strategy to improve treatment and quality of effluent from Western Treatment Plant • Attained statutory and corporate targets for water quality • Appointed local consultative committees to review supplied to the Melbourne retail water companies. Environment Improvement Plans for Eastern and • Continued the water quality upgrade program with Western Treatment Plants improved disinfection works at 11 plants, new pumping • Signed a Stormwater Management Agreement with the stations at East Bittern and for the Emerald supply and EPA and local councils to help improve the an upgraded supply to Pakenham using Cardinia water environmental management of urban stormwater. • Introduced new by-laws and regulations for the • Developed a Drought Response Plan with farmers and management and protection of water supply river diverters to ensure environmental flows are catchments. maintained in the during the dry summer. • Undertook research and development into a range of • Completed investigations into the health of waterways in technical aspects on water supply and water quality the Westernport and Woori Yallock catchments. aimed at protecting health, managing risk and improving efficiency. • Completed an Environmental and Public Health Management System for waterways and drainage to Environment improve management of environmental and public health issues. • Achieved 99.9 per cent compliance with EPA discharge licences parameters for Eastern and Western Treatment Plants. • Made excellent progress on construction of the North Western Sewer which, when completed, will dramatically reduce the incidence of sewage spills in wet weather. • Awarded contract for the installation of floating covers on two lagoons to improve air quality and trap methane for electricity generation with associated greenhouse gas reductions.

5 MANAGING MELBOURNE’S WATER SUPPLY

Policy Objective jointly prepared by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and Melbourne Water and came into To provide a low cost, reliable supply of safe, high quality effect on 9 December 1997. These apply to the designated drinking water that consistently meets 1987 National Health water supply catchments in the National Parks. The Water and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) requirements as Supply Protection By-Law which enables control in the non- defined in the operating licences of Melbourne’s retail water national park catchment areas came into effect on 8 January companies. 1998. Security patrols are conducted throughout the catchments, usually on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Memorandum of Understanding between Melbourne Water and the Department of In 1997/98 a total of 149 reports of trespass in the Human Services catchments were noted. There were 38 persons apprehended and, of these, 17 were recommended for In August 1997 Melbourne Water and the Department of prosecution. Court proceedings will take place later in 1998. Human Services executed a Memorandum of Seven small wild fires caused by lightning occurred in Understanding on how Melbourne Water will maintain and 1997/98. improve public health in relation to drinking water quality supplied to the retail water companies. The Memorandum Providing High Quality Drinking Water is an ongoing document that clarifies rights and Melbourne Water supplies water to three retail water responsibilities, establishes operational objectives and companies, Yarra Valley Water, City West Water and South defines the basis for future cooperation to achieve these. East Water which serve the greater metropolitan area. Provisions in the Memorandum include drinking water quality, monitoring programs, treatment plant performance, In 1997/98 the total quantity of water delivered to the retail catchment management, fluoridation of the water supply, water companies was 520,000 million litres. research and emergency response procedures. Melbourne The regulations governing the supply of drinking water is Water and the Department of Human Services have the Health (Quality of Drinking Water) Regulations 1991. quarterly meetings to discuss issues. An annual Melbourne Water has corporate compliance targets for performance report will be sent to the Department of microbiological performance and disinfection plant Human Services in September each year. reliability which are operational targets compatible with statutory requirements. The targets allow Melbourne Water Introduction to meet its obligations under Bulk Water Supply Agreements which enable the retail companies to deliver water in The water supply catchments serving Melbourne occupy accordance with the conditions of their operating licences. some 155,000 hectares, most of which is protected wilderness. Part of these designated catchment areas are These conditions include compliance with health related within the Kinglake and Yarra Ranges National Parks. microbiological parameters of the National Health and Protected wilderness catchments and natural purification in Medical Research Council /Australian Water Resources storage reservoirs provide Melbourne with a consistently Council 1987 Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality in high standard of drinking water. Approximately 90 per cent which incorporate faecal and total coliform counts of Melbourne’s water is harvested from protected as indicators. During 1997/98, Melbourne Water complied catchments and so does not require full treatment. The with the corporate performance indicators. main exceptions regarding treatment are the supplies from Melbourne Water is required under the Health (Fluoridation) Yan Yean and Sugarloaf reservoirs. These supplies are fully Act 1973 to fluoridate the drinking water supply to assist in treated as the water comes from unprotected catchments. the prevention of dental decay, particularly among children. The prime consideration in catchments is to protect water The Act requires the calculated long-term (12 month) resources and water quality. Melbourne Water is required to average fluoride concentration not to be in excess of 1 restrict human access, limit the potential for human milligram per litre. There is also a short term requirement contamination of water supplies and undertake catchment (on a monthly basis for assessment) that fluoride inspections to assist in achieving these objectives. concentration levels within the water distribution system should be within the range 0.7-1.2 milligram per litre. Melbourne Water uses two legal instruments to do this. The “Park (Catchment Protection) Regulations 1997” were Chlorination is used for microbiological quality control

6 throughout the extensive distribution system. The Monitoring the water supply alternatives to chlorination are ultraviolet radiation, ozonation, chlorine dioxide and chloramination. Ultraviolet Melbourne Water undertakes a comprehensive routine radiation and ozonation do not provide a disinfectant water quality monitoring program. Samples for residual and, alone, would not achieve compliance with microbiological purposes are taken at 141 sites and analysed water quality targets at consumers’ taps in a large for a range of parameters including faecal coliforms, total distribution system. coliforms and residual chlorine levels. The sites monitored cover raw water sites, entry points to the retail water During the year there were 19 minor incidents involving company systems, transfer mains and service reservoirs. In disinfection plants. The most common cause of these addition testing for physical and chemical characteristics is incidents were power and equipment failure. There was no carried out on samples taken from 71 of these sites. impact on water quality. Actions taken included Monitoring programs of an investigative nature are also modifications to alarm systems and installation of undertaken in conjunction with research programs and for emergency power back up supplies and replacement of a specific areas of interest. faulty chlorinator. Operational procedures have been modified and new quality assurance procedures In 1997/98 some 40 000 analyses were undertaken. Data implemented to avoid similar incidents occurring in the from this monitoring program is detailed in Appendix B at future. At Frankston and Dromana disinfection plants, the back of this report. Additional testing was also additional chlorine sensors were installed adjacent to vent undertaken by the retail water companies. lines to alert operators to venting problems. Melbourne Water’s target is for 99 per cent of the samples taken not to contain faecal coliform bacteria. During Melbourne Water had a target of 99 per cent 1997/98 this target was met in all quarters. disinfection compliance in 1997/98. The target was met in all quarters. In January 1998 an intensive monitoring program for microbiological and physical parameters and pathogens was The graph below shows the plant disinfection reliability as a initiated in consultation with the Department of Human percentage by volume of water supplied from chlorination Services due to very high levels of total coliforms being plants detected in South East Water’s distribution system in the Yarra Valley Water customers reported variation in taste Mornington Peninsula. All Melbourne Water’s chlorinators were operating reliably Plant Disinfection Reliability and no faecal coliforms or total coliforms were detected 100 immediately downstream of chlorination points. However coliforms in the distributions system occurred in spite of 99 the presence of chlorine residuals. Action taken included 98 increased chlorination, spot dosing of tanks and flushing of the extremities of the distribution system. South East Water 97 informed its customers through newspaper advertisements. Compliance % Compliance Microbiological experts and the Department of Human 96 Services confirmed there was no risk to public health. There 95 were no customer complaints. Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Quarter This was the first time an incident such as this has Compliance Target occurred. The cause is still being investigated but likely contributing factors are lower than usual water levels in between Greenvale water normally supplied to the zone and Devilbend Reservoir due to dry weather and increased water supplied from . Taste and odour number of birds in the area. complaints ceased when Broadmeadows Reservoir was The drying out of farm dams and wetlands has meant that refilled with chlorinated water from . bird activity has increased on reservoirs such as Yan Yean and Devilbend and this situation provides an increased potential for contamination of the water supply. The future capital works program for water supply works includes

Managing Melbourne’s Water Supply 7 covering all service reservoirs, provision of a catchment run- The new chlorination plant at East Bittern will ensure that off diversion drain at Devilbend Reservoir and enhanced water is adequately disinfected before entering the supply disinfection plants. These will help minimise the risk of system. The chlorinator and pumping station at East Bittern future water quality problems. will enable Melbourne Water to ensure the continuity of good quality supply to the Mornington Peninsula over peak Major new projects to improve drinking demand periods and, in particular, overcome supply water quality in outer urban area water deficiency problems in the Langwarrin area. supply zones A new $3.3 million pumping station and pipeline was The water supply system is divided into 65 supply zones completed to supply the Emerald district with high quality based on the physical characteristics and components water from Silvan Reservoir. The supply to Pakenham was (including service reservoirs and elevated tanks) of the also upgraded with new water mains and water supply is distribution system. Some zones include supply to more now from . than one retail company. In the tables in the Appendix The improvement initiatives completed in 1997/98 have reference is made to improvement zones and non- built on the successes of previous years. The Frogley Water improvement zones. Treatment Plant at Healesville, which incorporates the latest For the former, water quality improvement works are needed filtration technology, has received an Engineering Excellence to provide best quality water. An approved program of Award from the Institution of Engineers, Australia. works to achieve this is being undertaken and will be The graph below shows the percentage of samples taken at completed in late 1998. The improvement zones are supply points to retail companies which contain less than generally smaller systems located in the outer metropolitan one faecal coliform bacteria per 100 millilitres. This is for all and semi-rural areas. water supply zones including those where water quality The water quality results are reported against recommended improvement works are planned. levels contained in either the NHMRC 1987 Drinking Water Guidelines or the World Health Organisation 1993: Faecal Coliform Target Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. 100 The Australian guidelines also recommend sampling 99 frequencies for microbiological parameters related to the size of the population served by a particular zone. As a 98 result the main routine data in the tables is reported on the 97 basis of population sizes of less than 10 000, 10 000 to 100 Compliance % Compliance 000 and greater than 100 000. Revised Australian Drinking 96 Water Guidelines were issued by the National Health and 95 Medical Research Council and the Agriculture and Resource Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Management Council of Australia and New Zealand during Quarter the latter half of 1996. The Government is considering Compliance Target implementation of the Guidelines in conjunction with the review of the operating licences of the Melbourne retail Algae and Water Supply water companies. These are due for renewal on 1 July 1999. In 1997/98, Melbourne Water continued with the program Melbourne Water conducts algal bloom monitoring of the to upgrade water quality according to the Bulk Water Supply water supply storages, waterbodies and waterways under its Agreements with the retail companies supplying water to control and has algal bloom response plans in place. Algae Melbourne. Disinfection works were completed at a cost of of various species are naturally present in low concent- $5.5 million at Monbulk, Silvan, Greenvale, Warburton, Yarra rations in many freshwater bodies. Under certain conditions Junction, East Bittern, Kallista, Mornington, Bittern Basin, the concentrations of algae may increase dramatically Somers-Flinders and Pakenham. At Silvan, upgrades of the causing water quality and environmental problems. The control systems for the Silvan-Waverley and Silvan-Olinda more common forms are green algae and blue-green algae. chlorination plants were completed. The Silvan-Waverley The latter are of more concern as some species produce plant had been upgraded the previous year. toxins that are harmful to humans and animals.

8 Managing Melbourne’s Water Supply Green algae and other non-toxic species have the potential cycle of giardia, the infective stage is a cyst shed in large to produce taste and odour problems in drinking water numbers in faeces. Giardia cysts can be destroyed by supplies. Close monitoring allows for detection of potential disinfection with chlorine. blooms so that management actions can be implemented at The National Health and Medical Research Council of an early stage when they are more likely to be effective. Australia and the World Health Organisation have The was taken off line twice as a concluded that there is insufficient information from which precautionary measure during November 1997 and February to develop a health guideline for the two microorganisms. 1998 because the water did not meet taste and odour requirements. As a results of these problems an Testing water supplies for investigation into algal management at Yan Yean Reservoir cyrptospordium and giardia was initiated with the Cooperative Research Centre for The number of cryptosporidium and giardia organisms in Water Quality and Treatment. water is usually very low. To determine their presence large A range of control measures were implemented at Tyabb volumes of water are filtered and any cysts and oocysts are and Mornington Reservoirs due to the presence of non-toxic removed and then resuspended in a smaller volume. This yellow brown algae. Control measures implemented concentrates the organisms and makes them detectable by included temporary withdrawal of the reservoirs from a range of staining or microscopy methods. service, draining of Tyabb Reservoir, treatment of the It is difficult to confirm if the cysts or oocysts are alive or if reservoir banks with sodium hypochlorite, increased they are one of the small number of strains that can infect monitoring, dosing with copper sulphate and installation humans. New testing methods are currently being of fabric filters on the outlet screens to prevent the passage developed but these are still experimental. Melbourne Water of algae into the supply. Water quality improvement works has access to the research programs of the American Water such as covering service reservoirs and reducing inputs of Works Association Research Foundation. The Foundation nutrients to storages are being undertaken to asist in the has in place a 5 year US $19 million research program control of algal blooms. All incidents were managed in comprising 67 projects on cryptosporidium and it is the conjunction with South East Water. Foundation’s number one research priority. Pathogenic micro-organisms Maintaining a safe water supply - As analytical methods improve and medical knowledge pathogens (Giardia and expands, numbers of pathogenic micro-organisms are being Cryptosporidium) investigation detected in water supply systems around the world. The The best defence against cryptosporidium and giardia is the most significant of these are cryptosporidium and giardia protection of water catchments from contamination. which are protozoan parasites which can cause Melbourne is fortunate in that the majority of its water is gastroenteritis type illnesses in humans. There is, however, supplied from protected catchments with subsequent long a background level of infection by cryptosporidium and detention times in storage reservoirs. giardia in the community. The organisms are usually spread through contact with pets, farm animals or people who are Cryptosporidium and Giardia have been detected in already infected. Melbourne’s water supply reservoirs in minute quantities. From February 1997 to February 1998 Melbourne Water Individual cryptosporidium and giardia parasites are conducted a special investigation to: invisible to the naked eye. Their size is measured in microns (a thousandth of a millimetre). A cryptosporidium parasite • identify the presence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in is 2 to 6 microns in size while a giardia parasite is about 8 water sources to 12 microns. • quantify the effect of long term storage times in seasonal The infective agent for cryptosporidium is called an oocyst. storages Cryptosporidium oocysts are resistant to disinfection. They • observe any pattern of their presence in the distribution can be removed by membrane and sand filtration although system the effectiveness of these processes is variable. In the life

Managing Melbourne’s Water Supply 9 Monitoring occurred at eight sites at Silvan, Cardinia, Tyabb Cryptosporidium detections at the inlets to Silvan occurred and Dandenong Reservoirs. Standard immunoflorescence in 12 per cent of samples taken. All of these were less than 1 techniques were used to identify the protozoa to a detection oocyst per litre. Actual results are summarised in the tables limit no less then 0.1 cyst/oocyst per litre. The tests provide below. Oocysts and cysts refer to the form of the protozoa total numbers of the pathogens and do not determine that can survive in the environment. whether the pathogens are viable or are strains that can As a result of this study, a complementary monitoring infect humans. The key findings of the study were: program was commenced to determine the catchment • Cryptosporidium was more prevalent than giardia and sources of the protozoa. was detected predominantly in winter and spring. In July 1997 routine monitoring of pathogens detected the • Outlets from Silvan Reservoir revealed a very low presence of giardia, cryptosporidium and adenovirus at low number of Cryptosporidum detections. levels in a single sample at the Sydenham Reservoir. • No cryptosporidium or giardia were detected at the Subsequent monitoring did not identify any further positive outlet of Cardinia Reservoir. samples of either pathogen. Sydenham is a nominated water quality improvement zone and system changes have • A very low prevalence of giardia throughout the system. been implemented, involving the Greenvale supply, to The only detections occurred near the end of the improve the standard of disinfection. transfer system prior to entering the local distribution systems, one within a closed system (Dandenong Reservoir) and one at an open service reservoir (Tyabb Reservoir).

Summary of Cryptosporidium Results - oocysts per litre

Number of Number of % of samples Median value Maximum Location samples positive with positive of positive value of samples detection detections positive detections Silvan inlet from O’Shannassy Aqueduct 52 4 8% 0.15 0.2 Silvan inlet from Yarra-Silvan Conduit 52 12 23% 0.15 0.4 Silvan inlet from Yarra Valley Conduit (.) 52 2 4% 0.10 0.1 Silvan outlet to Preston, upstream of chlorination 52 0 0% n/a n/a Silvan outlet to Monbulk pump house 52 1 2% 0.1 0.1 Tyabb Reservoir outlet 52 2 4% 0.15 0.2 Cardinia outlet, upstream of chlorination 49 0 0% n/a n/a Dandenong Reservoir combined outlet 50 0 0% n/a n/a

10 Managing Melbourne’s Water Supply Summary of Giardia Results - cysts per litre

Number of Number of % of samples Median value Maximum Location samples positive with positive of positive value of samples detection detections positive detections Silvan inlet from O’Shannassy Aqueduct 52 0 0% n/a n/a Silvan inlet from Yarra-Silvan Conduit 52 0 0% n/a n/a Silvan inlet from Yarra Valley Conduit (Upper Yarra Reservoir.) 52 0 0% n/a n/a Silvan outlet to Preston, upstream of chlorination 52 0 0% n/a n/a Silvan outlet to Monbulk pump house 52 0 0% n/a n/a Tyabb Reservoir outlet 52 1 2% 0.1 0.1 Cardinia outlet, upstream of chlorination 49 0 0% n/a n/a Dandenong Reservoir combined outlet 50 1 2% 0.1 0.1

Important progress on the water quality study Research and Development

In 1997/98 work continued by Monash University’s Medical The priorities for research are safe water quality, reliability of Centre on the Water Quality Study. The study aims to supply and operational efficiency. In 1997/98 the research determine whether there is a link between gastro-intestinal emphasis was on water quality and health aspects. illness and drinking water. The project is a joint effort by the Melbourne Water was a member of three water related CRC for Water Quality and Treatment, the Water Services Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) and the Water Services Association of Australia, the Department of Human Association of Australia (WSAA) which provide access to a Services, Melbourne Water and the three Melbourne retail range of independent research information, technologies water companies. The total cost is more than $3 million and and skill networks. 600 participating families were recruited during 1997. Three In 1997/98 a number of research projects were conducted hundred families are supplied with normal tap water while on water quality matters. These included a clinical trial on the remaining 300 are supplied with filtered water to the health effects of drinking water (“The Water Quality remove micro-organisms. Installation of water treatment Study”), improved indicators of microbiologically safe units was completed in September 1997. The study is drinking water, catchment sources of microorganisms, proceeding satisfactorily with the field component due for waterborne disease early warning system and the effect of completion at the end of February 1999. chlorination on rates of gastroenteritis. Melbourne Water’s A complementary Case-control Study of Cryptosporidiosis expenditure on these projects in 1997/98 amounted to has been initiated to identify the risk factors (including approximately $260,000. water, food, beverages, human and animal contacts) Melbourne Water is also undertaking specific research to involved in sporadic outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis. develop operational procedures and incident management Control studies are to be undertaken in Melbourne and plans aimed at controlling blue-green algae in Yan Yean Adelaide using people with cryptosporidiosis identified from Reservoir. Through the Cooperative Research Centre for pathology laboratory reports. The project is being conducted Water Quality and Treatment it is also participating in by the Department of Epidemiology and Preventative research related to health aspects and exposure in water Medicine at Monash University.

Managing Melbourne’s Water Supply 11 supply and recreational water bodies. Water quality Maintaining healthy waterways during improvement works such as covering service reservoirs and dry weather reducing inputs of nutrients to storages assist in the control of algae blooms. These approaches are much preferred to During 1997/98 dry conditions persisted in catchment chemical dosing after a bloom has established. areas. The total rainfall was 25 per cent below the long term average. This was the lowest since 1982/83. Stream flow Investigations on water quality and health in 1998/99 will into the major reservoirs (Thomson, Upper Yarra, include the optimisation of chlorine residuals in distribution O’Shannassy and Maroondah) was 42 per cent below the systems, specific algal issues and water quality at Devilbend long term average. Water storages fell to 57 per cent of Reservoir. capacity. Despite these conditions, environmentally acceptable flows were generally maintained in the Yarra Future Directions River downstream of the headworks. This was largely due to During 1998/99 Melbourne Water will complete the Water the successful implementation of the Yarra Drought Quality Improvement Program required under the Bulk Response Plan. The plan provides for the integrated Water Supply Agreements to upgrade supplies in the outer management within the Yarra catchment of private metropolitan areas. diversions, Melbourne Water harvesting operations and minimum flows in streams. Melbourne Water will embark on a major program of capital works to address water quality issues. The program includes In October 1997 the flow in the Yarra at Warrandyte fell to the replacement or covering of reservoirs at Pakenham, 224 megalitres per day which is below the agreed flow of Frankston, Tyabb, Dromana, Garfield, Tynong and 245 megalitres per day. This was as a result of an excessive Mornington to eliminate airborne pollution and the risk of rate of pumping from the river to Sugarloaf Reservoir. Low blue-green algae blooms. Enhanced disinfection capability flow pumping alarms have been upgraded to avoid a and back-up power supplies for treatment will be provided recurrence of the problem. This was recorded as a level 2 at selected sites. Other works will be undertaken to achieve incident in the categories defined earlier in the report. a fully closed distribution system and so eliminate potential Unrestricted water supplies were supplied to Melbourne sources of contamination. consumers. Consumption, at 519,560 megalitres, was the Melbourne Water will further expand its program of highest since records for the current supply area research and development on water issues with expenditure commenced in 1984/85. Although restrictions were not in 1998/99 planned at $660,000. Over half of this amount required in the metropolitan area, the reduced stream flows will be spent on projects related to safe water quality. resulted in temporary restrictions on rural irrigators who divert water from the Yarra and its tributaries. Serious drought events of this magnitude in the past (such as 1967/68 and 1982/83) have resulted in the need for severe restrictions on metropolitan water use to conserve supplies.

12 Managing Melbourne’s Water Supply MANAGING MELBOURNE’S WATERWAYS AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS

Introduction for the Scheme was relocated from the Lake Stanley location (within the reserve) to the opposite side of Fitzgerald Road. Melbourne Water manages regional drainage from The current industrial site is situated at the corner of catchments in and around Melbourne and in most cases Fitzgerald and Boundary Roads, Laverton, covering an area Local Councils manage local drainage. Melbourne Water of 100 hectares. The path of the pipe system (constructed also has responsibility for managing the environmental to carry catchment inputs from an area of 446 hectares) condition of Melbourne’s waterways and has a delegated was also redirected around the grasslands. responsibility to undertake floodplain management activities. These are done in an integrated way and involve Dredging and De-silting all parties that contribute to catchment drainage and Dredging and de-silting activities have been identified waterway management. through the Waterways & Drainage Environmental & Public Health Management System as having significant Policy Objective environmental impacts. An improvement plan has been developed to minimise the environmental impacts of each To protect the environmental and public health values of of these activities, highlighting the associated waterways and bays and personal and public property from environmental issues and compliance requirements in stormwater damage through direct works, implementation conducting these works. of planning controls and provision of leadership in waterway and catchment management The plans include improvement actions for the year, which will reduce environmental risks, ensure greater staff System understanding and compliance with regulatory requirements and develop and implement appropriate Melbourne’s waterways and drainage assets include pipes techniques. Guidelines, or standard work procedures, are in the ground, open channels, pits and pump stations, flood being developed to address these two activities. retarding basins, levee banks, tidal gates and natural and Key de-silting, dredging and other works to maintain stream artificial wetlands and approximately 5000 kms of natural flow and to prevent flooding included: waterways. The catchments that these assets are located in cover an area of more than 8 000 km2. These assets are • Bunyip Main Drain - 60,000 cubic metres of silt managed by Melbourne Water with the help of Local removed; Councils, Government Departments and agencies, private • Muddy Creek - 4,000 cubic metres of material removed business and all the people who live, work and play in the from the on-stream dam/silt trap, downstream of catchments of rivers and streams flowing into Port Phillip Hayseys Road, Narre Warren East; and Westernport. • Miles Grove Retarding Basin, Seaford - reshaping of the basin floor; Regional Drainage, Flood Protection and • Musk Creek - removal of aquatic weed growth to prevent Asset Renewal/Rehabilitation localised flooding. • Patterson Lakes study undertaken to determine the Aim : To minimise risks that floods present to life and profile of the tidal floor. The data will be compared to property and provide reliable information on flood risks. that collected five years ago. The intention of the study Derrimut Drainage Scheme is to identify the patterns and rates of sediment movement and deposition, through the drainage The first stage of the Derrimut Drainage Scheme was system, and into the estuary zone. Data will assist in the completed. The Scheme includes provision for protection of development of a de-silting and/or dredging strategy. the Derrimut Grasslands State Flora Reserve. To protect this environmentally significant site a retarding basin planned

13 Waterways Management • The Taylors Lakes bloom contained the potentially toxic species, Microcystis aeruginosa with peak levels of Aim: To protect environmental and amenity values 428,000 cells/mL. The bloom was short-lived and along waterways and, where practical, implement disappeared within a week rehabilitation works on degraded waterways. Ecosystem Health in the Yarra River Community Waterwatch or StreamWatch During the start of 1998, a riffle site was created in the Yarra The Environment Protection Authority and Melbourne River at Banksia Park, Heidelberg. The riffle was constructed Water, in conjunction with the Department of Natural to stabilise the banks of the river and to improve habitat. An Resources and Environment, reached agreement on the inspection of the riffle was conducted six weeks after its design of a new Community Waterwatch network. New construction and large numbers of elder flies, mayflies, objectives, water quality indicators and frequency of caddis flies, and a range sampling and monitoring arrangements were agreed upon. of other invertebrates were found. These invertebrates are generally indicative of good water quality. These ‘bugs’ had Summer Monitoring for E. coli and Algal colonised the new, small boulders and rocks and had not Blooms recently been collected in this part of the Yarra River. The sites for the summer E. coli monitoring program were agreed upon by Melbourne Water and the EPA. Site Streamwatch Monitoring selection was based on the likelihood of ‘recreational use’ in Water quality monitoring of our waterways occurs on a the area. Weekly sampling occurred from December 1997 monthly basis and data from this program is detailed in until the end of March 1998. Results of the 1997-98 summer Appendix E. An arrangement has been made with the EPA monitoring program indicated that faecal contamination to forward measurements of particular water quality was generally low throughout Greater Melbourne. This was indicators that are higher than an agreed “alert” level. EPA likely to be a reflection of the low rainfall during the period keeps a record of continually offending locations and with less run-off to wash faecal matter into waterways and a encourages action programs to address potential water lower chance of sewer overflows. quality problems. A new system was set up during the year Monitoring for algae, particularly blue-greens, also occurred where cumulative exceedance reports are prepared quarterly. from December until the end of March. Since January 1998, when the new reporting approach Fortnightly sampling was conducted at all sites, except commenced, six sites reported more than 10 alert level , which was sampled on a weekly basis due to exceedances (see graph below). These sites and parameters its history of algal problems and high level of recreational of concern were: use. When blooms were detected, the monitoring frequency • at Canning Street Ford (19 alerts) - was increased and management actions are undertaken in nitrogen and phosphorus accordance with the MWC Blue-Green Algae Emergency • at Coldstream (16 alerts) - nitrogen and Response Plan. dissolved oxygen The hot and dry summer during 1997-98 was favourable for • Watsons Creek at Somerville (15 alerts) - nitrogen and the development of algal blooms. but only two significant dissolved oxygen blue-green algal blooms developed: • at Wonga Park (14 alerts) - nitrogen • The Monbulk Creek Retarding Basin bloom comprised the potentially toxic blue-green species, Anabaena • Elster Creek at Cochrane Road (11 alerts) - dissolved circinalis. Sampling found concentrations to be in oxygen, zinc and nitrogen excess of 268,000 cells/mL. A concentration of 20,000 • Chinamans Creek at Eastbourne Road (10 alerts) - cells/mL is the recreational alert level. Melbourne Water dissolved oxygen and nitrogen. signage advised the public to avoid contact with the Investigations started into the sources of the elevated levels water. Figure 1 shows the dynamics of blue-green algae but septic tank seepage is considered to be a potential populations in the Monbulk Creek Retarding Basin contributing factor. during summer 1997-98.

14 Managing Melbournes Waterways and Drainage Systems Waterway Rehabilitation An education/extension program was initiated to support A steep section of in West Brunswick and extend the stream frontage management program into subsided following heavy rainfall in February 1998. the 1998-99 year. The aim of the program was to facilitate Assessment indicated that groundwater infiltration from change in rural property management practices, and identify local drainage had weakened the bank over a period of time, where benefits in waterway condition and water quality may and the combination of heavy rainfall overnight, and that be achieved. The program was run as a pilot, to determine morning, triggered the collapse. After securing the area for the level of community acceptance, prior to identifying public safety, and carrying out preliminary site clean-up, opportunities to extend the program into 1998-99. options for remedial works were prepared by Melbourne Fishways Water in conjunction with Moreland City Council and CitiPower. During the year Melbourne Water constructed two fishways on the Maribyrnong River at Brimbank Park to assist in the A 1.3 km section of the Yarra River (Melba Highway Bridge migration prospects of four key migratory native fish upstream of Steels Creek confluence) adjacent to the Yarra species, previously affected by barriers along the river. Glen Showgrounds was rehabilitated. The river banks in this area were becoming unstable as existing wattle trees began An existing sheet-piling weir on the Bunyip Main Outfall dying off, threatening Showground buildings. Drain, was modified to allow the passage of four migratory fish species. Rehabilitation work was completed along 100 metres of , abutting sections previously rehabilitated as Melbourne Water participated in the Department of Natural part of the Eastern Freeway Extension. Resources and Environment Fishway Implementation Committee, formed as part of the State Fishway Program. Diamond Creek in Wingrove Park, Eltham, required rock beaching of banks, the construction of 10 rock weirs, and Stormwater Quality some tree removal works to protect its banks.

Revegetation and Willow Removal Aim: To minimise the impacts of stormwater run-off on waterways , bays and beaches. Over 42 000 plants were planted in Melbourne Water’s operational areas with the assistance of local community Sources of Faecal Contamination to Port Phillip groups, school children and Greening Australia. Funding Discussions between EPA and CSIRO led to the was provided through drainage scheme contributions. development of a framework for a Melbourne Water drain Willow removal works were completed on the Yarra River at study. The study is aimed at identifying some of the major ‘The Island’ in Warrandyte, at Coldstream West, at Wittons sources of faecal material entering Port Phillip and focuses Reserve in Wonga Park, at the Bend of Isles in Warrandyte, on Melbourne Water drains discharging to beaches on the at Launching Place, on the at South Morang, at north-eastern shoreline. Sampling commenced in Whittlesea, and on downstream of the November 1997 and initially involved screening 15 drains for Helmeted Honeyeater Reserve. E. coli. Following this screening process, the nine most contaminated drains were subject to additional sampling. Stream Frontage Management Program This stage of sampling applied a relatively new technique to The Stream Frontage Management Program targets the distinguish between human and non-human faecal restoration of riparian zones along private waterway contamination. Since there is a greater human health risk frontages. Programs were carried out in the associated with human faecal contamination, the study catchment, the Arthurs/Diamond Creeks catchment in the provides a better assessment of the risk Bayside drains Yarra basin and along Steels Creek. During the year 32 kms pose to aquatic recreation. of frontage was fenced, 60,000 plants put in place and The Prahran Main Drain was identified in a recent EPA $46,000 worth of weed control were undertaken. publication as being a significant contributor of human faecal material to the Lower Yarra River. This drain has been targeted for an intensive Melbourne Water investigation during 1998. .

Managing Melbournes Waterways and Drainage Systems 15 Seaford Wetlands Monitoring of the application, use and environmental A stormwater quality improvement project was conducted benefits of the new procedures will be conducted in order to on Wadsleys Drain through to the Seaford Wetlands. The identify short and long-term environmental performance, design and construction of a weir, pump and rising main, to and the overall effectiveness of the system. An audit of the deliver fresh water to the wetlands, was completed. It will system as a whole, by certified environmental auditors, was allow better management of the wetland ecosystem, which conducted during May and June 1998. The auditors found was found to have rising salinity levels. that the development of the system “appropriately addresses the scope and nature of the Group’s business Bonview Road Drain activities...while the Environmental Management Action Bonview Road Drain receives drainage from a small Plan is an important driver in addressing operational residential catchment between Ruffey Lake and Doncaster environmental management.” Road. The lower section of this waterway was transformed a Waterway Management Decision Making year ago from a barrel drain into an open waterway, and since then, high faecal contamination has been measured at The Environmental Risk Assessment and Priority Setting its outlet. Recent coprostanol samples indicated that the Model was completed. The computer based model uses faecal contamination was of human origin. Yarra Valley existing information on waterway condition, and a series of Water conducted an examination of sewers and the lower simple mathematical equations to determine ratings for section of the Bonview Road Drain, using CCTV. No signs of waterway threat, value and risk for the benefit obtained from sewer leakage were detected. Testing on a drain leading waterway management activity. The model is a decision from Westfield Shoppingtown revealed elevated E.coli levels. support tool to assist in setting priorities for waterway Works were carried out under one of the main car parks and management activities using a risk management approach. the contamination was reduced. Arrangements were made As a trial, the model was used to assist in setting priorities for the City of Manningham to continue to monitor Bonview for the annual works program for weed management within Road Drain and keep Melbourne Water informed. the Yarra Operations region. An important output of the model has been Waterway Investment Plans. These Plans Business Systems are required for key waterways by the Port Phillip Regional Catchment and Land Protection Board. The model can Aim: To establish effective business systems to manage rapidly produce individual Waterway Investment Plans using the environmental issues of the Waterways and Drainage a standard template. business The model has demonstrated that risk assessment can be Environmental & Public Health Management used to assist in setting priorities for waterway System management. It will be further evaluated to determine its suitability for development as a standard application within Development of the Waterways & Drainage Environmental the Waterways and Drainage business. & Public Health Management System was completed during the year. The system is largely based on the Port Phillip Regional Catchment Strategy Australian Water Industry Guidelines and incorporates key The Port Phillip Regional Catchment Strategy, prepared by principles from ISO 14001. Workshops were run to identify the CaLP Board, has been released. EPA commenced business activities with significant environmental concerns, implementation of one key action from the strategy, that and a priority list of the top 15 activities for improvement involved identifying pollution “hot spots” and their causes. over the 1998-99 fiscal year has been agreed. New standard This is a first step in the preparation of action plans to works procedures and management guidelines will be improve water quality in the region. A number of workshops developed and implemented with appropriate staff training. were conducted, with Melbourne Water providing key water quality information and local operational knowledge.

16 Managing Melbournes Waterways and Drainage Systems Liaison with Water Group Planning Discussions occurred between the Water and the Waterways A Merri Creek Concept Plan was prepared for review by and Drainage Groups about improving the management of members of the steering committee. The Plan is a review of ‘scouring’ activities, and reducing their impact on an earlier draft, and Melbourne Water is facilitating the waterways. Scouring is a maintenance procedure that process for stakeholders, including Councils, Department of empties water from water supply assets into the regional Natural Resources and Environment and the Merrri Creek drainage network. Discussions also achieved an Management Committee. The plan examines a range of understanding on the provision of data on volumes and matters relating to the responsibilities of participating rates of release, in order to minimise impacts on the in- stakeholders, and includes waterway management and stream habitat and structural integrity of our assets. water quality protection issues.

Stormwater Initiative It involves Melbourne Water focussing on site access management, rehabilitation of an old tip site, and The Stormwater Committee endorsed the final draft of the environmental weed control. Stormwater Agreement and draft Best Practice Environment Management Guidelines for Urban Stormwater. The Melbourne Airport and Waterway Planning Stormwater Committee worked with five councils Yarra Operations staff attended a meeting with the (Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Kingston, Port Phillip and Melbourne Airport planning staff to discuss the Monash) to conduct a pilot project that developed development of the Airport’s 5 Year Master Plan. Impacts stormwater management plans. The pilot was used to of future development on Melbourne Water waterways, develop a model to be followed by other councils wanting to including Moonee Ponds Creek, Maribyrnong River, Arundel be involved in the Stormwater Initiative. Creek and Steeles Creek, were discussed. Future Directions Plans Drought Response Plan for Private Diverters in Melbourne Water initiated the preparation of a Future the Yarra Catchment Directions Plan for Truganina Swamp. Truganina Swamp is a large drainage reserve and retarding basin located in A Drought Response Plan for Yarra River diverters was Altona. It forms part of a large wetland complex that developed to cope with the extremely dry conditions stretches from Point Cook to Williamstown, and is a site of experienced during the summer. Level 2 of the plan was conservation significance for flora and fauna. The City of implemented in mid January, as the seven-day rolling Hobsons Bay and the Friends of Westona Wetlands have average flow in the Yarra River at Warrandyte reached the been active participants in the planning process. A draft trigger flow of 245 ML/day. The plan placed restrictions plan was exhibited in Laverton for community consultation, on the hours and days direct diverters can pump from and launched during the year. waterways, and seeks to reduce the overall demand by all A Future Directions Plan was also developed for Cherry users. It also restricts the amount of water Melbourne Water Lake, another significant site in Altona. The plan was can harvest from Yering Gorge and the Upper Yarra finalised following an extensive period of consultation with tributaries. The plan was developed in accordance with the Hobsons Bay Council and local community groups. Melbourne Water obligations under the Yarra State environmental protection policy. A Future Directions Plan for the Campbellfield Retarding Flow in the Yarra River at Warrandyte fell to a minimum of Basin was also exhibited for public comment. This site plays 209 ML/day during the summer. This compares with a significant role in the region’s hydrology, through its previous low flows of 26ML/day during the 1968 drought, drainage, flood storage, water quality treatment and and 59 ML/day in 1983. waterway functions. The site also has high environmental significance, based upon archaeological, geomorphological and flora and fauna values. The Future Directions Plan will provide a coordinated framework for managing the area over the next five to ten years.

Managing Melbournes Waterways and Drainage Systems 17 Strategic Items Surveys conducted during October found a female juvenile platypus in at Sheffield Road, about one Waterway Condition Monitoring Program kilometre upstream of the Liverpool Retarding Basin. It was the first time that platypus were found in Dandenong Creek. The program for 1997/98 focused on assessing the The presence of a juvenile indicates that there is a breeding waterways in the Western Port and Woori Yallock population in the area. catchments. A total of 916 kilometres of waterway was assessed using a variant of the Index of Stream Condition. Yarra River Eological Investigation

Geomorphological Studies A major Yarra River Ecological Investigation commenced in 1997-98. The project involved a preliminary evaluation of Consultants were engaged to conduct geomorphological spatial changes in ecological community structure and studies of the Upper Yarra, Lang Lang, and Bunyip Rivers function. In-stream processes and biological communities and Steels Creek to identify key stream processes and were measured and correlated with river geomorphology, problematic conditions along the waterways.. riparian condition and catchment land-use. The aim of the PPB Management Plan project was to determine the key actions needed to improve and maintain desired river health, and to then initiate the The revised Waters of Port Phillip Bay State environment development of a decision support process, to assist in protection policy requires the development and predicting the outcome and value of management actions implementation of an environmental management plan for in a large lowland river. the Bay. The principal issue related to Melbourne Water is the need to reduce the annual load of nitrogen discharged Other waterway research concentrated on smaller tributary from the catchment to the Bay, by 1000 tonnes. This is a streams and the variables that affect in-stream health. task that will be shared between the Western Treatment Stormwater Quality Plant at Werribee and the rivers and drains that flow into Port Phillip. The main way Melbourne Water improves the quality of stormwater run-off is by using the surface area and Flood Protection vegetation in wetlands to remove particles and nutrients. The Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology A great deal of research has been undertaken at both the undertakes research on flood hydrology. One project is CRC for Catchment Hydrology and the CRC for Freshwater based on quantifying rainfall ‘loss’ so as to improve Ecology, on the design characteristics of wetlands to estimates of flooding. Rainfall loss is the component of optimise stormwater treatment. Blackburn Lake, in the rainfall that does not appear as surface run-off. A new ‘loss’ eastern suburbs, has received the bulk of the research model was developed for real-time flood forecasting, and an attention in . industry report has been produced to promote this new Other research being conducted by the CRC for Catchment model. New outcomes include being able to predict base- Hydrology involves refining the models that calculate the flow indices for streams where there are no flow amount of pollutants swept into streams during specific measurement stations. An important result was the ability storm events, and over an annual cycle. to use pre-storm base-flow as a good indicator of antecedent catchment wetness. The Bay-side Drains Faecal Origins Study is intended to reduce the public health risk of swimming at Bay-side Platypus Research beaches, by finding those Melbourne Water drains that are Biologists from the Australian Platypus Conservancy worked contributing run-off contaminated with human sewage. with Melbourne Water staff to survey streams around Details of this project are provided in the Stormwater greater Melbourne in order to map platypus distribution Quality section. and study their biology and ecology. Improved knowledge has been gained of the factors that affect platypus in inhabiting our waterways. The re-introduction of platypus into appropriate streams is now being contemplated.

18 Managing Melbournes Waterways and Drainage Systems ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE SEWERAGE MANAGEMENT

Introduction Sewerage Management Performance Melbourne Water removes sewage from the three retail water companies which serve the greater metropolitan area Sewerage Spill Policy and Performance of Melbourne. The companies are City West Water, South Melbourne Water’s policy is “No Sewer Spills to the East Water and Yarra Valley Water. In 1997/98 the total Environment”, which recognises that sewage spills are a risk quantity of sewage removed was approximately 310 000 to public health and the environment. The policy objective is million litres. to completely eliminate spills due to operational failure in the short term and spills due to hydraulic deficiency in the Policy Objective medium to long term.

To conduct an efficient business that provides sewerage Each sewage spill is classified as an incident for the services to Melbourne’s retail water companies that meet all purposes of this report. Depending on the significance of regulatory requirements. the spill, procedures are implemented that may include appointing an “incident manager”, advising the EPA, Melbourne’s Sewerage System initiating emergency response procedures, undertaking a debrief session, logging the details of the spill and reporting Melbourne Water operates more than 380 kilometres of these in regular internal reports and carrying out any sewers which transfer sewage from the retail water necessary modifications to the sewerage system and work companies to two treatment plants: the Western Treatment practices. In all cases spills are reported internally and Plant at Werribee and the Eastern Treatment Plant at Carrum. externally. The Western System includes about 167 kilometres of There were 46 sewage spills during 1997/98, all of which sewers, the Brooklyn and Hoppers Crossing pumping were classified as level 1 or level 2 incidents. 22 due caused stations and the Western Treatment Plant. This system by operational failure, 19 by hydraulic deficiency, and five by transferred and treated about 53 per cent of Melbourne’s extreme rainfall. The implementation of the “No Sewage sewage in 1997/98. Spills” policy involved changing the reporting of sewage The Eastern System includes about 213 kilometres of sewers, spills which meant that all sewage spills were recorded the Kew and North Road pumping stations and the Eastern including those contained on site. For example, of the Treatment Plant. This system transferred and treated about nineteen spills at the plants, fifteeen were contained on site 40 per cent of Melbourne’s sewage in 1997/98. and the others were of a minor nature and did not impact on licence compliance. The remaining sewage was treated at local treatment plants operated by the retail water companies. The spillage volumes recorded during the 1997/98 year are given in the table below. The total amount is less than 0.03% of the total sewage volume received into the sewerage system.

Operational failure Hydraulic deficiency Extreme rainfall Total <1 megalitres 48 megalitres 26 megalitres 75 megalitres

Operational failure: Spills due to equipment breakdown or human error Hydraulic deficiency: Spills due to insufficient pipe/pump capacity Extreme rainfall: Spills due to wet weather events greater than 1:5 year return frequency

19 Rainfall and Sewerage Spills Comparison Between Rainfall and Sewerage When it rains, stormwater enters the sewerage system Spills from ERSs causing flows to increase to a level significantly above that 900 140 carried under dry weather conditions. Sewerage systems are 800 designed to contain sewage flow under defined rainfall 120 700 conditions. Melbourne Water’s objective is to contain 100 sewage during a maximum storm event likely to occur on 600 80 average every five years. 500 400 However as development in Melbourne occurs wet weather 60 300 flows can increase to a level which exceeds the design 40 capacity of sewers built decades before. Sewage spills which 200 20 occur under these circumstances are categorised as 100 0 0 “hydraulic deficiency”. 1993/94 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1997/98

When the storm event is bigger than the 1:5 year return Rainfall Number of Spills frequency, sewage spills are categorised as occurring under 30 Year Average Annual Rainfall “extreme rainfall” conditions.

Sewage spills occur at specific designated structures in the Comparison between rainfall and sewage spills due to hydraulic sewerage system termed “Emergency Relief Structures”. deficiency and extreme rainfall These structures are located and designed to ensure that if a spill occurs it has the minimum impact possible on public safety, public health, property and the environment. System Improvement Works Sewage spills which are caused by pipe blockage, The $225 million North West Sewer which runs from equipment breakdown or human error are categorised as Moonee Ponds to Brooklyn is being built to intercept flows “operational failure”. from the upper part of the Maribyrnong and Moonee Ponds catchments. This will result in considerable environmental There is a direct correlation between rainfall and sewer benefit through the prevention of sewer spills caused by spills due to hydraulic deficiency and extreme rainfall. lack of hydraulic capacity. Melbourne’s total rainfall in the last four years compared with a 30 year average shows that rainfall was well above Excellent progress in constructing the North West Sewer average in 1993/94 and 1995/96, about average in 1994/95 was made during the year. The first stage has now been and well below average in 1996/97 and 1997/98. Sewage completed and the second and final stage was spills from Emergency Relief Structures have reflected this commissioned in August 1998. This project will go a long pattern as seen in following graph. way to eliminating spills from Melbourne Water’s western sewerage system during wet weather. The improvement and rehabilitation of main sewers continues. Work on crossings for the Main Sewer was completed during the year. Design work associated with the capacity improvement of the Mordialloc Main Sewer has been finalised and construction will be carried out during 1998/99.

20 Environmentally Responsible Sewerage Management An upgrade of the power supply system at Brooklyn Pump Licence Compliance - Station has been carried out with the replacement of old Eastern Treatment Plant equipment and a consequent reduction in the risk of power supply failure. Similar upgrade works are planned for the Effluent Discharge Quality Kew, North Road and Hoppers Crossing Pump Stations. The Eastern Treatment Plant achieved 99.9 per cent A $6 million upgrade of the section of the Epsom Road compliance with its Environment Protection Authority Main Sewer between Moonee Ponds and Ascot Vale will licence during 1997/98. There was a single licence breach commence in July 1998 as part of the ongoing rehabilitation for odour resulting from a confirmed complaint in June program. This will eliminate the risk of collapse of the sewer 1998. The specific source of the odour was not established which was built almost 100 years ago. The project will be and the plant was operating well within the standard completed by the end of 1999. Sections of the North Yarra operating limits at the time of the complaint. An odour Main Sewer will also be relined or duplicated over the next control strategy is being developed as part of the plant’s 18 months. environmental management plan. The spills from emergency relief structures that occurred Data on Eastern Treatment Plant’s licence compliance is during the last five years are shown in the following graph. detailed in Appendix C. These years comprised two dry years, one average year and two wet years. The spill frequency is therefore a reasonable Licence Compliance - representation. Western Treatment Plant The graph shows the spills that would have been prevented if the works noted below the graph had been carried out. Effluent Discharge Quality For example the red spills would not have occurred if the The Western Treatment Plant achieved 99.9 per cent North Western Sewer had been operating. In 1997/98, compliance with its EPA licence for effluent discharge twenty of the twenty four spills caused by extreme rainfall or quality for 1997/98. There were two licence breaches: one hydraulic deficiency were in this category. for pH and the other for acute toxicity. A single breach of the pH range for Lake Borrie was Effect of Works on Sewage Spills recorded in January 1998. This was due to a bloom of blue green algae which subsequently resulted in implementation 20 18 of the Blue Green Algae Contingency Plan and Lake Borrie 16 North being taken off line for three months. Exceeding the 14 acute toxicity requirements also occurred on Lake Borrie in 12 January 1998. Other testing (at another discharge point) 10 8 showed conflicting results using different bioassay 6 methods. A program of toxicity testing, as required under 4 the EPA licence using a variety of test organisms, is 2 scheduled for 1998/99. This will identify the most Average Number of Spills per year 0 134 102 118 164 88 327 50 106 155 143 209 appropriate methods for routine testing at Western ERS Number Treatment Plant. Data on Western Treatment Plant’s licence compliance is Spills Reduced to Meet 1:5 Service Standard By detailed in Appendix D. * North West Sewer ¥ Investigation Needed ≈ Planned Works ø Operational Activities

Effects of planned works on sewage spills

Environmentally Responsible Sewerage Management 21 Air Emissions from Power Generating Plant BOD and CBOD There is an EPA requirement to monitor the performance of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a measure of the the two gas power plants at the 115E Lagoon at Western oxygen depleting potential of a waste stream. Oxygen can be Treatment Plant . Limits are set for exhaust concentrations consumed in two ways: by breaking down carbon based and discharge rates for nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide material or by changing ammonia to nitrates and these and sulphur dioxide. A minimum discharge velocity is also different demands can be measured and reported separately. specified. An excess of the maximum rate and maximum Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand (CBOD) concentration of nitrogen oxide at Power Plant Stack No. 2 reports on the oxygen consumed by breaking down carbon was recorded in March 1998. An emergency discharge based material and total BOD reports on both CBOD and licence was issued under Section 30A of the Environment oxygen consumed by the process of breaking ammonia down Protection Act 1970 to enable the power plants to continue into nitrates. Traditionally BOD has been used to measure to operate at optimum power production. Investigations the impact of treated effluents on receiving waters. However into control of the exhaust emissions and engine it is now recognised that the BOD test has limitations and performance are continuing in conjunction with the supplier may not be the best measure of either plant performance or of the engines. If the effect of the power station non- environmental impact. This is reflected in the strong trend compliance is included in the overall compliance rating for overseas to replace BOD with CBOD as the preferred Western Treatment Plant , the rating falls to 99.8 per cent measure of oxygen demand. for 1997/98.

Licence Amendment Western Treatment Plant Monitoring An application for licence variations for Western Treatment Programs Plant was made to the EPA in July 1997 and an amended licence was issued on 3 October 1997. The changes allowed A comprehensive monitoring and reporting program is the use of Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand required under the EPA licence issued for Western (CBOD) instead of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Treatment Plant. Treated effluents at the four discharge and retained a limit on total nitrogen discharge to Port points are monitored for flow and a range of physical, Phillip Bay while deleting the 90 percentile nitrogen chemical and microbiological parameters. Routine concentration limit. These changes better reflect the nature bacteriological monitoring is conducted in Port Phillip at the of the treatment processes at Western Treatment Plant . The two points on the foreshore which are accessible by public EPA has indicated that the variations can be used in road. Soil, sludge and vegetation are analysed for heavy computing compliance for the full 1997/98 year. The licence metals and organochlorine compounds. Monitoring is also details tighter parameter limits that will come into carried out to determine any impact on the quality of effect in 2005. Details regarding how these will be achieved groundwater and the amount of any nutrients or toxicants is in the section on environmental improvement at Western entering Port Phillip via this diffuse route. Monitoring of the Treatment Plant . mixing zone in Port Phillip is required to check compliance with the State environment protection policy - Waters of Victoria and is complemented by specific studies into mixing zone size and the implications for international wildlife agreements.

22 Environmentally Responsible Sewerage Management Odour Incidents Management of the Decommissioned Dandenong Treatment Plant There were 18 odour incidents in 1997/98, comprising fourteen in the wastewater transfer system, one at Eastern The Dandenong Treatment Plant ceased operating as a Treatment Plant and three at Western Treatment Plant. This treatment plant in February 1996 when all raw sewage flows compares with 28 odour incidents in 1995/96 and 43 in were diverted to the Eastern Treatment Plant via the 1996/97. Three of the odours were attributed to the Fanny Dandenong Valley Trunk Sewer. The Dandenong site is Street Pump Station which will become redundant upon subject to an EPA Pollution Abatement Notice. The key completion of the North West Sewer. Three others were issues of concern are contaminated soil and sludge, site attributed to the Spotswood Pump Station where an odour maintenance, groundwater contamination, safety, security control plant has since been installed. The installation of and the impact on abutting sensitive areas. covers on the anaerobic reactors of two lagoons at Western The long term future of the site is subject to commercial Treatment Plant during 1998/99 will greatly assist in and environmental considerations. The two main factors are reducing odours in the Werribee area, particularly at the the property market and the suitability of new technologies Werribee South Township. Odour control programs are for the treatment of dioxins in sludge. In the interim being developed at Eastern Treatment Plant and Western Melbourne Water maintains the site to requirements set by Treatment Plant as part of their environmental management the EPA. To ensure adequate safety and security provisions plans and Waste Water Transfer’s environmental are met, above ground infrastructure and buildings have management system includes an odour control plan. been demolished and below ground structures have been capped or covered. Security patrols, fencing and signage Odour Control Improvements have been upgraded and site maintenance is regularly Major improvements for odour control were implemented carried out. An environmental monitoring program was or initiated during 1997/98 as detailed below. established for the site in 1996 and is carried out by a specialist consultant. This program includes biannual At the historical Spotswood Pumping Station, odours have groundwater monitoring for a range of parameters including always been a problem due to turbulence and the nutrients, salinity, dioxins, furans and heavy metals. Dioxins generation of hydrogen sulphide from the sewer which runs and furans are the parameters of most concern. Initial under the site. The situation has been particularly sensitive monitoring results for these exceeded potable use criteria since the opening of the adjoining Scienceworks Museum. and one sample exceeded the United States Environment An odour control plant costing $2.5 million was Protection Agency criteria for aquatic ecosystem protection. commissioned in February 1998. The innovative plant uses However the groundwater discharge to Dandenong Creek is natural biological filters rather than chemical processes. Air unlikely to be of significance. An expanded monitoring drawn from the sewer passes through the plant at the rate program has been instigated to provide a more detailed of about 10m3 per second and clean air is released into the assessment. Other parameters generally reflect conditions atmosphere. that may be expected in urban areas. At the Western Treatment Plant , work has commenced on the installation of covers on the anaerobic reactors on the Strategic Items 55E and 25W lagoons. These lagoons treat a total of 200 megalitres per day or 40 per cent of the flow to Western Water Recycling Treatment Plant. The covers, each of about four hectares, One of the goals of Melbourne Water’s Strategic Plan is to will be in place by the end of 1998. Methane gas generated maximise the reuse of effluent. This is in line with general in the reactor will be collected and ultimately used for the community expectations and is encouraged in EPA policies generation of electricity. and licence provisions.

Environmentally Responsible Sewerage Management 23 A major study on effluent reuse has been commenced Non-Domestic Waste Management under the oversight of a cross functional steering group. A The retail water companies collect waste from commercial general approach to the study has been established which and industrial properties and transfer it to Melbourne Water will analyse the external environment (drivers, barriers, for treatment and discharge to the environment. The critical success factors), develop strategic directions, quality and quantity of these wastes are critical to analyse the current reuse business, identify potential Melbourne Water achieving discharge licence compliance markets, and develop realistic targets and effective plans to and potential reuse of effluent and biosolids. Melbourne meet them. Water and the retail water companies manage these issues The success of implementing an effective reuse program together. will rely heavily on the support of the government and Two significant developments relating to the management private sectors in such areas as enhanced stakeholder of non-domestic waste and hazardous chemicals occurred relationships, realistic standards, incentives for reuse, water during the year. pricing, marketing programs and community education. An assessment of risk to the sewerage system posed by The study will be completed in October 1998. non-domestic wastes from industry has been conducted. Resource and Energy Management Mass balance models for the treatment systems have been developed to define the capacity of plants to handle Melbourne Water has undertaken a number of initiatives to pollutants such as BOD, ammonia, heavy metals and improve efficiency in the management of resource pesticides. This has enabled the determination of utilisation which impacts on the environment. appropriate non-domestic waste acceptance standards for Energy costs for Melbourne Water are approximately $10 discharge to the sewerage system and quality standards for million and represent the fourth highest individual expense the interface points between the retail companies and for the organisation. An Energy Focus Group has been Melbourne Water’s sewers. established with the aim of reducing energy costs by at least Melbourne Water’s involvement with the community 5 per cent with consequential benefits for resource use and chemical collection days held in the late 1980s is nearing an greenhouse emissions. The main areas of attention are end. Procedures are in place for treatment, bioremediation electricity, gas and fuel consumption, the effectiveness of and stabilisation of all remaining wastes. The procedures plant and equipment, and the unit cost of energy. are being undertaken with EPA approval. At the end of June A key performance indicator has been developed in the 1998 there was approximately 8 tonnes of hazardous Sewerage Group to minimise the use of chlorine while still chemicals remaining. Plans have been finalised to carefully meeting licence requirements. The indicator tracks chlorine dispose of this material in the next year. use in relation to volume of water treated and bacteriological levels achieved. Licence Accreditation A trial program was developed at the Brooklyn Pump Further steps have been taken in the process aimed at Station to reduce the consumption of fresh water needed to achieving an EPA Accredited Licence for both Eastern seal and cool the gland packing on the eight sewerage Treatment Plant and Western Treatment Plant. These pumps. The water requirements to keep the seals moist and include development of Environment Improvement Plans, minimise the escape of sewer gas and sewage are normally establishment of Community Consultation Committees, the constant whether the pumps are operating or not. The trial, conduct of Environmental Audits and generally improved which targeted non-operating pumps, aimed to reduce environmental performance. Progress has been slower than water consumption by 40 per cent. The trial was successful anticipated and accreditation is not now expected until the and modifications have been made to all pumps with water latter half of 1998/99. savings in excess of 50 per cent or some 38,000 kilolitres per year.

24 Environmentally Responsible Sewerage Management Community Consultation Effluent Management Study at Eastern Community consultation is a key component of Melbourne Treatment Plant Water’s strategic and capital works projects. Major efforts The Eastern Treatment Plant currently discharges secondary are made to involve the community and ensure that treated effluent into Bass Strait at Boags Rocks near Cape construction works cause a minimum of disruption to daily Schanck. Melbourne Water’s EPA discharge licence for life. The North West Sewer, Epsom Road Main Sewer and Eastern Treatment Plant requires the Corporation to the Effluent Management Study at Eastern Treatment Plant consider the effects of this discharge on the marine are recent examples where consultation has been of environment and to assess the possible benefits from paramount importance and of great value to Melbourne extending the outfall, improving treatment at Eastern Water. Treatment Plant and reducing the volume discharged. Melbourne Water has also established Community Liaison The research and investigation activities which have been Committees at both the Eastern and Western Treatment undertaken are now largely completed. Plants. The committees provide advice and assistance on a An environmental impact assessment and review of land range of local matters including the development of and marine disposal options was managed by CSIRO. The Environment Improvement Plans. At Western Treatment environmental research covered biological monitoring, Plant there is also a Wildlife Consultative Committee which bioaccumulation, toxicity assessment and receiving water provides expertise in the management of conservation and quality. Effluent management options considered both wildlife matters. Western Treatment Plant is a declared reducing influent to the plant and effluent reuse. The former wildlife sanctuary and a “Wetlands of International included grey water reuse, reduction of infiltration and Importance” under the Ramsar Convention. A review of the inflow to the sewerage system and demand management. Western Treatment Plant Conservation Management Plan Reuse opportunities that were assessed included irrigation, has been commissioned and is expected to be completed in industrial use, non potable urban reuse and potable reuse. March 1999. A microbiological health risk assessment of the discharge to Research and Development Gunnamatta Beach was carried out by the Department of The sewerage research program is aimed at achieving Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine at Monash improved environmental performance through the University. development of a better understanding of the impact of Consultants were used to examine process modifications at Melbourne Water’s operations on the environment and Eastern Treatment Plant which would enable nitrogen better commercial returns to the business through reduction using biological nitrification/denitrification. increased operational efficiencies. Alternatives to the present chlorine disinfection of the final In 1997/98 the main areas of research were focussed on treated effluent were also assessed. Another study examined determining the impact of treated effluents on receiving the options, impacts and costs associated with extending waters, hydraulic modelling of the sewerage system, the existing outfall. improving lagoon performance (particularly nitrogen The research and investigations have been complemented removal), polishing lagoon effluent using land treatment, by a community consultation process which has provided and sewer corrosion control. Melbourne Water’s wide ranging input on environmental, economic and social expenditure on these projects in 1997/98 was $1.21 million. factors. Information on the Study has been provided This compares to $1.12 million in 1996/97. The biggest through regular newsletters and the internet. The project by far was the Effluent Management Study at the consultation process is entering its final phase. Eastern Treatment Plant. It is expected that the strategy developed from the Effluent Management Study will be presented to the EPA in early 1999.

Environmentally Responsible Sewerage Management 25 Environmental Improvement Project for Western Future Directions Treatment Plant Melbourne Water will continue to follow the directions laid The interim Process Improvement Strategy for Western down in the Sewerage Strategy developed in 1997. The Treatment Plant , approved in November 1996, was directions cover a range of activities and initiatives aimed at reviewed following research into the performance of land meeting regulatory requirements and improving the treatment in improving the quality of lagoon effluent and commercial and environmental performance of the the assessment of enhanced lagoon processes. The review sewerage system. They cover areas such as metropolitan also considered: planning, service standards, waste management, reuse, • the capacity within the sewerage system to transfer flow environmental compliance, demand management, and between Western Treatment Plant and Eastern innovation and research. Treatment Plant Melbourne Water will continue to seek innovative and cost • the finalisation of the EPA licence conditions beyond effective methods to improve the performance of its 2005 which include a significant reduction in nitrogen treatment plants and the rest of the sewerage system. load to Port Phillip Bay and more stringent BOD, Melbourne Water will continue to reduce its impact on the suspended solids and ammonia discharge limits environment through targeting 100 per cent compliance • better knowledge of the performance and cost with EPA licences and aiming to contain all flows within the effectiveness of enhanced lagoon systems. sewerage system. A staged development of Western Treatment Plant systems In addition, Melbourne Water will implement plans to is envisaged which will include covers on anaerobic lagoons maximise sustainable effluent reuse. for odour control, provision of effluent reuse infrastructure, Melbourne Water will also work with the retail water retrofitting enhanced lagoon technology to existing lagoons companies, government and industry to ensure that pricing and construction of a new enhanced lagoon. for the acceptance of non-domestic wastes discharged to The new strategy will result in all land treatment areas being the sewerage system reflects the true cost of transfer and irrigated with treated lagoon effluent and the elimination of treatment, and that acceptance of these wastes does not odours from these areas. It will also take into account cause an adverse impact on the environment or Melbourne Water’s obligations under international wildlife compromise reuse opportunities. treaties for the protection of wetlands and waterfowl habitat at Western Treatment Plant .

26 Environmentally Responsible Sewerage Management APPENDIX A

Melbourne Water Environmental Policy Melbourne Water will fulfil this policy by: Conducting regular environmental audits and assessments Melbourne Water exists to operate a successful commercial of the corporation’s compliance with statutory and business which supplies safe water and removes sewage corporate requirements and periodically providing and stormwater at an acceptable cost and in an appropriate information to the Board, shareholders, environmentally sensitive manner for the benefit of present employees and the public. and future Melburnians. Undertaking research and development and contributing to Accordingly, Melbourne Water will: the transfer of environmentally sound technology and Work towards achieving a sustainable balance between management methods throughout the water industry. environmental protection and economic development that Identifying and implementing waste minimisation strategies is in the interests of future generations. (including the recycling and reuse of products) to minimise Implement environmental policies and procedures within risk and add value to the business. the framework of environmental management systems Minimising the environmental impacts of Melbourne Water consistent with the Australian water industry environmental through: management guidelines. • using a risk management approach appropriate to the Comply with statutory and corporate requirements and, potential for environmental damage; through a continual improvement process, develop • carefully evaluating decisions to avoid, wherever strategies to meet expected medium to long term regulatory practicable, serious and irreversible environmental trends. damage; Minimise the environmental impact of the organisation’s • identifying and critically assessing options for proposed activities and ensure that management, employees and projects and strategies; contractors: • sound environmental management of the construction • are equipped to anticipate and manage the phase; environmental risks and responsibilities in their day-to- day work; and • developing and implementing environment improvement plans for current operations; • take all reasonable care to address the environmental aspects of business activities. • developing emergency preparedness plans where potential hazards exist. Involve customers, stakeholders and the community in current activities, new projects and strategies through appropriate consultation and education programs. November 1995 Integrate environmental management with business planning, decision making and economic evaluation processes.

27 Melbourne Water Public Health Policy Providing safe and efficient stormwater services including: • flood warning and mitigation; Melbourne Water exists to operate a successful commercial business which supplies safe water and removes sewage • emergency response to pollutant spills to waterways; and stormwater at an acceptable cost and in an and environmentally sensitive manner for the benefit of present • monitoring for blue-green algae in water bodies used for and future Melburnians. recreation.

Melbourne Water will: Improving performance and optimising public health outcomes through: Provide a low cost, reliable supply of safe, high quality drinking water that consistently meets 1987 National Health • remaining abreast of relevant international trends in and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) health public health policy, epidemiology studies, treatment requirements as defined in retail water company operating technology and system management and operation; and licences. • undertaking research on the relationship between water Transfer and treat sewage, and ensure appropriate disposal quality and public health. or storage of byproducts in a way that safeguards the health Developing an understanding of the public health impacts of the community. and implications of the business through: Minimise the impacts of stormwater on receiving waters • regular monitoring of the quality of drinking water, and thereby contribute to the improvement of waterway treated sewage effluent, stormwater and receiving water; water quality and safe recreational opportunities for the and community. • assessing performance against corporate commitments Ensure that the benefits of achieving high drinking water and stakeholder expectations. quality, treated effluent quality and waterway water quality, Establishing a good working relationship with public health relative to the costs, can be demonstrated. agencies to ensure Melbourne Water contributes to and Melbourne Water will fulfil this policy by: influences the debate on the setting of statutory requirements, industry standards and guidelines, and other Restricting public access to catchments and thereby standards relevant to public health and the water cycle. minimising the potential for contamination and the necessity for treatment of water supplies. Ensuring that management and employees are equipped to anticipate and manage public health risks and Ensuring reliable water and wastewater treatment using responsibilities in their day to day work through appropriate processes tailored to Melbourne’s unique conditions. contingency planning and incident response capability. Managing the re-use of treated sewage effluent and sludge Providing relevant and timely information to customers, to minimise public health risks and to conform with stakeholders and the community about public health issues. statutory requirements while optimising business opportunities. April 1996

28 Appendix A APPENDIX B

Water Quality Results

The water quality results are reported against recommended levels contained in either the joint National Health and Medical Research Council /Australian Water Resources Council 1987 Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality in Australia or the World Health Organisation 1993: Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. The Australian guidelines also recommend sampling frequencies for microbiological parameters related to the size of the population served by a particular zone.

Water Quality: Parameters and Reporting Levels

Parameter Guideline Basis Units Reporting Level Microbiological - routine Faecal coliforms NHMRC 1987 organisms/100mL 1 Total coliforms NHMRC 1987 organisms/100mL 20 Plate counts MWC Corporate Colony forming units/100mL 1000 Physical - routine Colour NHMRC 1987 True colour units (TCU) 15 Turbidity NHMRC 1987 Nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) 5 pH NHMRC 1987 pH units 6.5 to 8.5 Chemical - routine Aluminium NHMRC 1987 milligrams/litre - mg/L 0.2 Iron NHMRC 1987 mg/L 0.3 Manganese NHMRC 1987 mg/L 0.1 Fluoride Health Act mg/L 0.7 - 1.2 Chemical - routine less frequent Arsenic WHO 1993 milligrams/litre - mg/L 0.01 Cadmium WHO 1993 mg/L 0.002 Chromium WHO 1993 mg/L 0.05 Copper WHO 1993 mg/L 1 Cyanide WHO 1993 mg/L 0.07 Lead WHO 1993 mg/L 0.01 Mercury WHO 1993 mg/L 0.001 Selenium WHO 1993 mg/L 0.01 Zinc WHO 1993 mg/L 3 Chloride WHO 1993 mg/L 250 Hardness WHO 1993 mg/L 200 Nitrate WHO 1993 mg/L 50 Sodium WHO 1993 mg/L 180 Sulphate WHO 1993 mg/L 250 Total alkalinity * mg/L * Calcium * mg/L * Magnesium * mg/L *

* Items marked with an asterisk have not had a reporting level set but are monitored for operational purposes.

29 Parameter Guideline Basis Units Reporting Level Chemical - routine less frequent continue Silica * mg/L * Total organic carbon * mg/L * Total phosphorus * mg/L * Total solids * mg/L * Radiological Radioactivity - alpha WHO 1993 Becquerel/litre 0.1 Radioactivity - beta WHO 1993 Becquerel/litre 1 Pesticides Aldrin WHO 1993 micrograms/litre - Eˆg/L 0.03 Dieldrin WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 0.03 Chlordane WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 0.3 DDT WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 2 Heptachlor WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 0.03 Heptachlor epoxide WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 0.03 Lindane WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 2 2,4-D WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 30 Industrial chemicals Carbon tetrachloride WHO 1993 micrograms/litre - Eˆg/L 2 Tetra chloroethane WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 40 Trichloroethane WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 70 1,1 Dichloroethane WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 30 1,2-Dichloroethane WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 50 Benzene WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 10 Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) Benzo-a-pyrene WHO 1993 micrograms/litre - Eˆg/L 0.7 Byproducts of disinfection Pentachlorophenol WHO 1993 micrograms/litre - Eˆg/L 9 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 200 Trihalomethanes (THMs) Bromoform WHO 1993 micrograms/litre - Eˆg/L 100 Dibromochloromethane WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 100 Bromodichloromethane WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 60 Chloroform WHO 1993 Eˆg/L 200 Chloroacetic acids Chloroacetic acid WHO 1993 micrograms/litre - (g/L N/A Dichloroacetic acid WHO 1993 (g/L 50 Trichloroacetic acid WHO 1993 (g/L 100

* Items marked with an asterisk have not had a reporting level set but are monitored for operational purposes. Notes: • NHMRC - National Health and Medical Research Council/Australian Water Resources Council 1987: Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality in Australia • WHO - World Health Organisation 1993: Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality • milligrams/litre = mg/L or parts per million • micrograms/litre = Eˆg/L or parts per thousand million (billion)

30 Appendix B Microbiological Parameters

The reporting levels for faecal and total coliforms are based on the NHMRC/AWRC 1987 guidelines. There is no corresponding guideline for plate counts so the reporting level for that parameter is a corporate target adopted to reflect the conditions of protected catchments and unfiltered supplies which exist for Melbourne. Sampling of raw water supplies, entry points to the retail distribution system and at points in the main pipeline network, is undertaken. The coliform and plate count numbers should not exceed the reporting level.

Parameter/ Reporting Total no. Total no. Total No. of tests exceeding Reporting Level (%) in water supply zones Retail level of zones* of tests* Exceedence* serving different population size groupings Companies

No. of Tests Exceedence No. of Tests Exceedence No. of Tests Exceedence

Pop. <10K Pop. 10K to 100K Pop. >100K

Faecal coliforms

All 1 65 4758 11 (0.2) 1265 6 (0.5) 3188 6 (0.2) 1563 0 (0)

YVW 1 35 2538 3 (0.1) 750 3 (0.4) 1590 0 (0) 964 0 (0)

CWW 1 11 1705 5 (0.2) - - 1505 5 (0.3) 995 0 (0)

SEW 1 30 2503 3 (0.1) 515 3 (0.6) 1375 1 (0.1) 879 0 (0)

Total coliforms

All 10 65 4758 83 (1.7) 1265 20 (1.6) 3188 64 (2.0) 1563 14 (0.9)

YVW 10 35 2538 47 (1.7) 750 15 (2.0) 1590 31 (1.9) 964 7 (0.7)

CWW 10 11 1705 37 (2.2) - - 1505 33 (2.2) 995 9 (0.9)

SEW 10 30 2503 8 (0.4) 515 5 (1.0) 1375 5 (0.4) 879 1 (0.1)

Plate count

All 1000 65 4758 7 (0.1) 1265 3 (0.2) 3188 5 (0.2) 1563 2 (0.1)

YVW 1000 35 2538 6 (0.2) 750 2 (0.3) 1590 4 (0.3) 964 2 (0.2)

CWW 1000 11 1705 2 (0.1) - - 1505 2 (0.1) 995 2 (0.2)

SEW 1000 30 2503 3 (0.1) 515 1 (0.2) 1375 2 (0.1) 879 1 (0.1)

* Some monitoring locations cover multiple zones, different population groups or more than one retail company; hence numbers may not be additive. CWW has no population zones less than 10 000 people.

Appendix B 31 Routine physical parameters

The reporting levels are based on the NHMRC/AWRC 1987 guidelines. Sampling is conducted throughout the main water supply network. Target levels are at equal to or less than the reporting level or, in the cases of pH, within the range shown. The physical reporting levels are based on aesthetic rather than health considerations. Values that would be a concern for health lie well beyond the reporting levels. The testing for colour is done as “apparent colour” rather than “true colour”; the latter test involves a filtered sample and would not be representative of Melbourne’s water supply. “Apparent colour” gives a higher number than would be obtained for “true colour” for the same sample.

Parameter/ Reporting Total no. Total no. Total No. of tests exceeding Reporting Level (%) in water supply zones Retail level of zones* of tests* Exceedence* serving different population size groupings Companies

No. of Tests Exceedence No. of Tests Exceedence No. of Tests Exceedence

Pop. <10K Pop. 10K to 100K Pop. >100K

Colour

ALL 15 65 2170 82 (3.8) 728 74 (10.2) 1231 5 (0.4) 665 5 (0.7)

YVW 15 35 1272 81 (6.4) 363 71 (19.6) 606 7 (1.1) 655 5 (1.4)

CWW 15 11 596 4 (0.7) - - 395 4 (1.0) 253 0 (0)

SEW 15 30 951 5 (0.5) 313 0 (0) 585 5 (0.9) 297 2 (0.7

Turbidity

ALL 5 65 2095 4 (0.2) 653 2 (0.3) 1231 2 (0.2) 665 0 (0)

YVW 5 35 1197 1 (0.1) 288 1 (0.3) 606 0 (0) 355 0 (0)

CWW 5 11 596 0 (0) - - 395 0 (0) 253 0 (0)

SEW 5 30 951 3 (0.3) 313 (0.3) 585 2 (0.3) 297 0 (0)

pH

ALL 6.5-8.5 65 1779 8 (0.4) 508 6 (1.2) 1102 2 (0.2) 597 0 (0)

YVW 6.5-8.5 35 987 1 (0.1) 221 1 (0.5) 531 0 (0) 287 0 (0)

CWW 6.5-8.5 11 531 0 (0) - - 372 0 (0) 211 0 (0)

SEW 6.5-8.5 30 819 7 (0.9) 235 5 (2.1) 531 2 (0.4) 297 0 (0)

* Some monitoring locations cover multiple zones, different population groups or more than one retail company; hence numbers may not be additive. CWW has no population zones less than 10 000 people.

32 Appendix B Routine inorganic chemical parameters

The reporting levels for iron, aluminium and manganese are based on the NHMRC/AWRC 1987 guidelines. The level for fluoride is based on the Health (Fluoridation) Act 1973. Target levels are equal to or less than the reporting level or, in the cases of fluoride, within the range shown. The reporting levels for iron, aluminium and manganese have been established on aesthetic grounds rather than health considerations. The range for fluoride is that recommended for the control of dental caries. (The new 1996 NHMRC guideline for health considerations is 1.5 mg/L). Sampling is conducted throughout the main water supply network. The guideline/reporting level for aluminium is for the acid soluble form. In Melbourne’s water supply, aluminium occurs naturally as a result of clay minerals and leaching from soil and rock and has reduced bioavailability. Fluoride concentrations at the points of introduction into the system comply with the calculated annual and short-term averages required under the Standards for Fluoridation of Public Water Supplies. The results reported in the table are for samples taken within the distribution system. Values outside the reporting range tend to be low rather than high and results are influenced by zones where fluoride is not added or is reduced by further treatment.

Parameter/ Reporting Total no. Total no. Total No. of tests exceeding Reporting Level (%) in water supply zones Retail level of zones* of tests* Exceedence* serving different population size groupings Companies

No. of Tests Exceedence No. of Tests Exceedence No. of Tests Exceedence

Pop. <10K Pop. 10K to 100K Pop. >100K

Iron

ALL 0.3 65 2053 10 (0.5) 653 8 (1.2) 1231 2 (0.2) 623 0 (0)

YVW 0.3 35 1155 7 (0.6) 288 5 (1.7) 606 2 (0.3) 313 0 (0)

CWW 0.3 11 554 3 (0.5) - - 395 3 (0.8) 211 0 (0)

SEW 0.3 30 951 2 (0.2) 313 1 (0.3) 585 1 (0.2) 297 0 (0)

Aluminium

ALL 0.2 65 309 9 (2.9) 69 9 (5.3) 114 0 (0) 82 0 (0)

YVW 0.2 35 235 6 (2.6) 130 6 (4.6) 66 0 (0) 52 0 (0)

CWW 0.2 11 79 0 (0) - - 32 0 (0) 51 0 (0)

SEW 0.2 30 105 3 (2.9) 39 3 (7.7) 66 0 (0) 26 0 (0)

Manganese

ALL 0.1 65 937 0 (0) 255 0 (0) 552 0 (0) 322 0 (0)

YVW 0.1 35 619 0 (0) 181 0 (0) 304 0 (0) 173 0 (0)

CWW 0.1 11 341 0 (0) - - 220 0 (0) 147 0 (0)

SEW 0.1 30 319 0 (0) 65 0 (0) 227 0 (0) 123 0 (0)

Fluoride

ALL 0.7-1.2 65 836 94 (11.2) 196 48 (24.5) 484 40 (8.2) 441 20 (4.5)

YVW 0.7-1.2 35 575 43 (7.5) 66 15 (22.7) 301 17 (5.6) 260 12 (4.6)

CWW 0.7-1.2 11 302 11 (3.6) - - 156 1 (0.6) 172 11 (6.4)

SEW 0.7-1.2 30 416 63 (15.1) 78 33 (42.3) 338 30 (8.9) 207 18 (8.7)

* Some monitoring locations cover multiple zones, different population groups or more than one retail company; hence numbers may not be additive. CWW has no population zones less than 10 000 people.

Appendix B 33 Chemical and radiological parameters

The reporting levels are based on World Health Organisation 1993: Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. Results should not exceed the reporting levels. Items marked with an asterisk have not had a reporting level set but are monitored for operational purposes. Sampling is conducted at Headworks Reservoirs.

Parameter Reporting Level No. of Analyses Exceed Reporting Level No (%) Arsenic 0.01 38 0 (0) Cadmium 0.002 38 0 (0) Chromium 0.05 38 0 (0) Copper 1 38 0 (0) Cyanide 0.07 38 0 (0) Lead 0.01 38 0 (0) Mercury 0.001 38 0 (0) Selenium 0.01 38 0 (0) Zinc 3 38 0 (0) Chloride 250 38 0 (0) Hardness 200 38 0 (0) Nitrate (as N) 50 38 0 (0) Sodium 180 38 0 (0) Sulphate 250 38 0 (0) Total Alkalinity * 38 Calcium * 38 Magnesium * 38 Silica * 38 Total Organic Carbon * 38 Total Phosphorus * 38 Total Solids * 38 Radioactivity - alpha 0.1 19 0 (0) - beta 1 19 0 (0)

34 Appendix B Organic Chemicals

The reporting levels are based on World Health Organisation 1993: Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. Results should not exceed the reporting levels. Sampling is conducted at Headworks Reservoirs.

Parameter Reporting Level No. of Analyses Exceed Reporting Level No (%) Pesticides Aldrin 0.03 24 0 (0) Dieldrin 0.03 24 0 (0) Chlordane 0.3 24 0 (0) DDT 2 24 0 (0) Heptachlor 0.03 24 0 (0) Heptachlor epoxide 0.03 24 0 (0) Lindane 2 24 0 (0) 2,4-D 30 24 0 (0) Industrial Chemicals Carbon tetrachloride 2 24 0 (0) Tetra chloroethene 40 24 0 (0) Trichloroethene 70 24 0 (0) 1,1-Dichloroethene 30 24 0 (0) 1,2-Dichloroethane 50 24 0 (0) Benzene 10 24 0 (0) Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Benzo-a-pyrene 0.7 24 0 (0) By Products of Disinfection Pentachlorophenol 9 24 0 (0) 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol 200 24 0 (0) Trihalomethanes (THMs) Bromoform 100 48 0 (0) Dibromochloromethane 100 48 0 (0) Bromodichloromethane 60 48 0 (0) Chloroform 200 48 0 (0) Chloroacetic Acids Chloroacetic acid N/A 48 Dichloroacetic acid 50 48 0 (0) Trichloroacetic acid 100 48 0 (0)

N/A: not applicable

Appendix B 35 Routine Pathogen Monitoring

Routine monitoring is conducted at major service reservoirs. The NHMRC/AWRC 1987 Guidelines do not contain recommendations for microbiological quality other than for coliforms. The 1996 NHMRC/ARMCANZ Guidelines place exotic micro-organisms into two general categories: those that should not be detected and those for which guidelines have not been set due to lack of sufficient data. The micro-organism of most current industry interest is cryptosporidium and Melbourne Water is participating in major epidemiological studies on this matter. As well, a comprehensive monitoring program on cryptosporidium and giardia is being conducted on the catchment and supply systems.

Parameter Reporting Level No. of Analyses Detection Rate No. (%) Should not be detected

Klebsiella spp Detected (per 100mL) 27 0 (0) Yersinia spp Detected (per 2 litres) 36 0 (0) Salmonella spp Detected (per 2 litres) 23 0 (0) Campylobacter spp Detected (per 2 litres) 39 0 (0) Vibrio spp Detected (per 2 litres) 22 0 (0) Shigella spp Detected (per 2 litres) 18 0 (0) Enteroviruses Detected (per 20 litres) adenovirus 40 1 (2.3) rotavirus 40 0 (0) hepatitis A 40 0 (0) norwalk virus G1 40 0 (0) norwalk virus G2 40 0 (0) No Guideline Set

Faecal Streptococci Detected (per 100mL) 9 0 (0) Legionella Detected (per 2 litres) 36 0 (0) Cryptosporidium Detected (per 1 litre) 40 1 (2.5) Giardia Detected (per 1 litre) 40 1 (2.5) Clostridium Detected (per 100mL) 36 0 (0) Pseudomonas aeruginosa Detected (per 100mL) 20 0 (0) Aeromonas Detected (per 100mL) 38 12 (32)

Notes: The detections for adenovirus, cryptosporidium and giardia were from a single sample as outlined in the section on water quality performance. Disinfection operating practices are under review to assess the cause of detections of aeromonas in the supply system.

36 Appendix B APPENDIX C

Eastern Treatment Plant Licence Compliance: 1997/98

The Eastern Treatment Plant located at Carrum treated some 40 per cent of Melbourne’s sewage during the period 1997/98. The Plant has a licence from the EPA to discharge treated effluent to Bass Strait at Boags Rocks. The following tables show the results of Eastern Treatment Plant’s sampling program designed to measure performance against the licence. As displayed in the tables the limit is the required performance as stated in the discharge licence and the result is how Eastern Treatment Plant performed. It is Melbourne Water’s aim to achieve 100 per cent compliance with its licence.

Discharge to Water The following results represent samples taken from the final effluent sample point and flow measurements at the Outfall Pumping Station at Eastern Treatment Plant from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998.

Table 2.1

Parameter Unit Median 90th Percentile Maximum Limit Result Limit Result Limit Result

BOD5 (mg/L) 20 12 40 23 72

CBOD5 (mg/L) 8 13 29 Suspended Solids (mg/L) 30 14 60 22 56 pH (pH units) 7.7 8.0 6 - 9 7.1 - 8.2 Ammonia as N (mg/L) 30 25.4 32.6 40 35.9 Total Combined Nitrogen (mg/L) 31.5 40.8 44.5 Total Phosphorus (mg/L) 6.9 15 8.2 9.2 Anionic Surfactants (mg/L) 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.8 0.7 Cadmium (mg/L) <0.001 0.005 <0.001 0.01 <0.001 Chromium (mg/L) 0.017 0.075 0.027 0.15 0.03 Copper (mg/L) 0.02 0.05 0.02 0.1 0.03 Lead (mg/L) <0.01 0.05 0.01 0.1 0.03 Mercury (mg/L) <0.0001 0.0005 <0.0001 0.001 0.0004 Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) 8 8.4 6 6.9 Phenol (mg/L) < 2 < 10 100 < 10 Toluene (mg/L) < 2 4 50 6 Benzene (mg/L) < 1 < 1 25 < 1 PAHs total (mg/L)* 15 11 Flow (ML/day) 540 371 770 614

* Total PAHs are calculated using the sum of the following PAHs: (acenapthylene, anthracene, 1,2-benzanthracene, 3,4-benzofluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, 1,12-benzoperylene, benzo(a)pyrene, chrysene, dibenzo(a.h)anthracene, fluorene and indeno (1.2.3-cd) pyrene. All results were less than the detection limit and were calculated at half the given value, i.e. <2 = 1).

37 The following results represent samples taken from the Truemans Road sample point from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998.

Table 2.2

Parameter Unit Median 90th Percentile Maximum Limit Result Limit Result Limit Result Total Residual Chlorine (mg/L) <0.1 <0.1 1 0.1 E.coli (org/100mL) 200 13.5 1000 240 17000

During December 1997, a sample of final effluent was analysed for polychlorinated dibenzo dioxins and furans (PCDD/F), as toxic equivalents of 2,3,7,8 tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin. The result for each congener was less than the limit of detection (LOD), with the total international toxic equivalent (I-TEQ), including half LOD values, being 1.70 picograms per litre (or 1.7x10-12 grams per litre).

Discharges to Land The following results detail the quality of effluent discharged to land in 1997/98 as sampled at Eastern Treatment Plant.

Table 2.3

Parameter Unit Median 90th Percentile Limit Result Limit Result E.coli org/100mL * 18.5 1000 449

BOD5 mg/L 20 12 40 23

CBOD5 mg/L * 8 * 13 Electrical Conductivity mS/cm * 940 * 1059

* Not Specified in the licence

38 Appendix C Bacteriological Monitoring - Beach Samples

Samples of the receiving waters were taken throughout the year at six locations along the Gunnamatta and St Andrews beaches and analysed for E.coli. Eastern Treatment Plant is required to report to the EPA any time the 42 day geometric mean exceeds 200 org/100mL or if the 80th percentile exceeds 400 org/mL. Sample points 5 and 6 are north west from the outlet along St Andrews Beach and sample points 1, 2, 3 and 4 are south east from the outlet along Gunnamatta Beach. Sample points 1 and 5 are adjacent to the outlet.

Table 2.4

42-day period ends: Geometric (Log) Mean (org/100mL) SEPP (Waters of Victoria ) Objective: 200 org/100mL Sample points No.1 No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 11 August 1997 2 2 4 1 22 1 22 September 1997 4 1 2 1 3 2 3 November 1997 2 2 3 2 2 1 15 December 1997 6 2 3 2 8 2 26 January 1998 2 2 1 1 9 1 8 March 1998 8 2 2 2 12 3 19 April 1998 5 1 3 1 19 4 31 May 1998 18 2 2 5 11 3 30 June 1998 9 3 6 9 16 2

42-day period ends: 80th Percentile (org/100mL) SEPP (Waters of Victoria) Objective: 400 org/100mL Sample points No.1 No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 11 August 1996 3 3 6 2 36 1 22 September 1996 3 1 1 1 2 4 3 November 1996 2 6 9 3 3 2 15 December 1996 20 1 5 1 26 4 26 January 1997 3 1 1 1 13 1 8 March 1997 17 3 3 12 39 18 19 April 1997 10 1 11 1 88 27 31 May 1997 35 3 5 19 13 12 30 June 1997 84 6 96 41 31 3

Note: SEPP is State environment protection policy - Waters of Victoria

Appendix C 39 Raw Sewage Monitoring

The sewage coming into the plant is monitored to ensure that plant processes are managed to treat sewage in the best possible manner. The following table shows the quality of sewage as it flows into the plant.

Table 2.6

Parameter Unit Median 90th Percentile Maximum

BOD5 (mg/L) 236 333 440 Suspended Solids (mg/L) 360 478 1130 pH (pH units) 7.1 7.3 6.5 - 7.9 Ammonia as N (mg/L) 31 38 47 Total Combined Nitrogen (mg/L) 50 60 66 Total Phosphorus (mg/L) 10.9 13.6 14.2 Anionic Surfactants (mg/L) 8.3 11.5 17.9 Cadmium (mg/L) 0.0015 0.003 0.007 Chromium (mg/L) 0.035 0.069 0.097 Copper (mg/L) 0.105 0.146 0.20 Lead (mg/L) 0.03 0.06 0.29 Mercury (mg/L) 0.0001 0.0004 0.0008 Phenol (mg/L) 11 34 40 Toluene (mg/L) 2.7 6 6 Benzene (mg/L) <1 <1 <1 PAHs total (mg/L)* 11

* Total PAHs are calculated using the sum of the following PAHs: (acenapthylene, anthracene, 1,2-benzanthracene, 3,4-benzofluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, 1,12-benzoperylene, benzo(a)pyrene, chrysene, dibenzo(a.h)anthracene, fluorene and indeno (1.2.3-cd) pyrene. All results were less than the detection limit and were calculated at half the given value, i.e. <2 = 1). The total volume of sewage received at ETP in 1997/98 was 131,459 megalitres.

40 Appendix C APPENDIX D

Western Treatment Plant Licence Compliance: 1997/98

The Western Treatment Plant, located at Werribee, treated about 53 per cent of Melbourne’s sewage. The Plant has a licence from the EPA to discharge treated effluent to Port Phillip from four discharge points between the and Point Wilson. In March 1997 EPA changed the discharge licence and further variations to the licence were made in October 1997. These relate to the use of CBOD instead of BOD and deletion of the 90th percentile concentration for nitrogen. The EPA has indicated that in computing licence compliance for 1997/98 the later variations should be adopted. It is Melbourne Water’s aim to achieve 100 per cent compliance with its licence. The tables show compliance performance of Western Treatment Plant over the 1997/98 year against the parameter limits detailed in the October 1997 amended licence. Bolded figures indicate a breach of the licence. In the tables the limit is the required performance as stated in the licence and the result is how Western Treatment Plant performed. The licence has plant wide limits for CBOD and suspended solids based on a weighted average calculated using the following formula: · (flow from each discharge point multiplied by the units of the indicator) / sum of all flows of treated wastewater from all discharge points. There is a plant wide limit on flow of a combined daily average of 700 megalitres per day over any one year. The licence also has an annual limit of 4300 tonnes total nitrogen load, averaged over three consecutive years. This limit is to be reduced to 3500 tonnes by 2001. For other parameters the performance limits apply individually to the four outlets. Table 3.1 shows the discharges from each of the outlets during 1997/98 and Table 3.2 shows compliance with total nitrogen load and the flow weighted parameters of CBOD, BOD and Suspended Solids. Final effluents at the four discharge points were sampled and analysed for polychlorinated dibenzo dioxins and furans (PCDD/F), as toxic equivalents of 2,3,7,8 tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin. The sampling for PCDD/F is carried out once at each outlet in a specified month each year. Results are shown in Table 3.3.

Table 3.1 - Annual and Average Daily Discharges

Outlet Annual Discharge megalitres Average Daily Discharge megalitres 15 East 79 708 218 145 West 20 220 55 Lake Borrie 12 190 33 Murtcaim 21 43259 Total 133 550 366

Table 3.2 - Flow Weighted Parameters and Total Nitrogen Load

Parameter Unit Median 90th Percentile Maximum Limit Result Limit Result Limit Result CBOD mg/L 25 12 * 16 * *

BOD5 mg/L N/A 64 * 96 * * Suspended Solids mg/L 100 36 130 63 * * Total Annual Nitrogen Load tonnes * * * * 4 300 3 967

* Not Specified in the licence

41 Table 3.3. Outlet PCDD/F as Total Toxic Equivalents of 2,3,7,8 TCDD.

Date 3 September 97 2 January 98 1 April 98 30 June 98 Site Murtcaim 15E 145W Lake Borrie I-TEQ - Excluding LOD Values 0.38 0 5.5 8.28 I-TEQ - Including Half LOD Values 2.16 3.08 8.76 10.3

The following tables show the level of performance and required compliance for each outlet.

15 East Outlet The 15E outlet drains the 115E, 55E and the 25W lagoons and land filtration areas.

15E Drain Licence

Table 3.4

Parameter Unit Median 90th Percentile Maximum Limit Result Limit Result Limit Result CBOD (mg/L) 10 2

BOD5 (mg/L) 105 155 Suspended Solids (mg/L) 30 45 Ammonia as N (mg/L) 25 13 40 37 Total Nitrogen (mg/L) 34 42 Total Phosphorus (mg/L) 10 15 11 Colour (Pt/Co units) 100 600 125 Anionic Surfactants (mg/L) 0.5 0.2 0.2 1.0 0.3 Silicate (mg/L) 13 14 14 Electrical Conductivity (mS/cm) 2490 2730 3620 Cadmium (mg/L) 0.005 0.002* 0.002* 0.01 0.002* Chromium (mg/L) 0.05 0.005 0.008 0.15 0.008 Copper (mg/L) 0.05 0.005 0.006 0.1 0.007 Lead (mg/L) 0.05 0.005* 0.005* 0.1 0.008 Mercury (mg/L) 0.0005 0.0001* 0.0001* 0.001 0.0001* Nickel (mg/L) 0.05 0.016 0.020 0.15 0.021 Zinc (mg/L) 0.1 0.009 0.046 0.25 0.052 pH (pH units) - range 6 - 9 7.2 - 8.6 Benzene (mg/L) 0.1* Toluene (mg/L) 0.1* Phenol (mg/L) 1* Total PAHs (mg/L) 0.08* E.coli (org/100mL) 75 617 10000 Acute Toxicity (Microtox EC 50) 75% 100%**

* Limit of detection ** Should not be less than 75%

42 Appendix D 145 West Drain Outlet The 145 W outlet is located adjacent to the estuary of the Little River. It drains the 85W, 145 West and Walsh’s lagoons and land filtration areas via ground water.

145W Drain Licence

Table 3.5

Parameter Unit Median 90th Percentile Maximum Limit Result Limit Result Limit Result CBOD (mg/L) 15 20

BOD5 (mg/L) 30 74 Suspended Solids (mg/L) 68 110 Ammonia as N (mg/L) 25 12 40 31 Total Nitrogen (mg/L) 25 34 Total Phosphorus (mg/L) 10 15 12 Colour (Pt/Co units) 100 600 150 Anionic Surfactants (mg/L) 0.5 0.2 0.26 1.0 0.3 Silicate (mg/L) 14 15 16 Electrical Conductivity (mS/cm) 3585 7100 14900 Cadmium (mg/L) 0.005 0.002* 0.002* 0.01 0.002* Chromium (mg/L) 0.05 0.01 0.019 0.15 0.02 Copper (mg/L) 0.05 0.011 0.017 0.1 0.02 Lead (mg/L) 0.05 0.005* 0.005* 0.1 0.005* Mercury (mg/L) 0.0005 0.0001* 0.0001* 0.001 0.0001* Nickel (mg/L) 0.05 0.017 0.020 0.15 0.023 Zinc (mg/L) 0.1 0.022 0.045 0.25 0.064 pH (pH units) - range 6 - 9 7.6 - 8.8 Benzene (mg/L) 0.1* Toluene (mg/L) 0.1* Phenol (mg/L) 1* Total PAHs (mg/L) 0.08* E.coli (org/100mL) 350 13020 87000 Acute Toxicity (Microtox EC 50) 75% 97%**

* Limit of detection ** Should not be less than 75%

Appendix D 43 Lake Borrie Outlet

The Lake Borrie outlet drains Lake Borrie and provides series treatment for some land and grass filtration effluents. Lake Borrie Licence

Table 3.6

Parameter Unit Median 90th Percentile Maximum Limit Result Limit Result Limit Result CBOD (mg/L) 5 15

BOD5 (mg/L) 10 25 Suspended Solids (mg/L) 25 85 Ammonia as N (mg/L) 25 19 40 32 Total Nitrogen (mg/L) 27 33 Total Phosphorus (mg/L) 11 15 13 Colour (Pt/Co units) 200 600 245 Anionic Surfactants (mg/L) 0.5 0.2 0.29 1.0 0.3 Silicate (mg/L) 16 17 18 Electrical Conductivity (mS/cm) 2410 3045 3370 Cadmium (mg/L) 0.005 0.002* 0.002* 0.01 0.002* Chromium (mg/L) 0.05 0.013 0.018 0.15 0.04 Copper (mg/L) 0.05 0.012 0.016 0.1 0.049 Lead (mg/L) 0.05 0.005* 0.011 0.1 0.013 Mercury (mg/L) 0.0005 0.0001* 0.0001* 0.001 0.0001* Nickel (mg/L) 0.05 0.020 0.023 0.15 0.025 Zinc (mg/L) 0.1 0.018 0.071 0.25 0.091 pH (pH units) range 6 - 9 7.8 - 9.3*** Benzene (mg/L) 0.1* Toluene (mg/L) 0.1* Phenol (mg/L) 1* Total PAHs (mg/L) 0.08* E.coli (org/100mL) 25 275 2900 Acute Toxicity (Microtox EC 50) 75% 34%**,***

* Limit of detection ** Should not be less than 75% *** 1 pH and 2 Acute Toxicity results exceeded the limit

44 Appendix D Murtcaim Main Drain Outlet

The Murtcaim outlet drains the Western and T section lagoons (land filtration effluent is pumped into Western lagoon) and is the main outlet for grass filtration areas which operate in the cooler months.

Murtcaim Main Drain Licence

Table 3.7

Parameter Unit Median 90th Percentile Maximum Limit Result Limit Result Limit Result CBOD (mg/L) 10 20

BOD5 (mg/L) 10 25 Suspended Solids (mg/L) 50 135 Ammonia as N (mg/L) 25 18 40 29 Total Nitrogen (mg/L) 28 35 Total Phosphorus (mg/L) 10 15 12 Colour (Pt/Co units) 200 600 500 Anionic Surfactants (mg/L) 0.5 0.2 0.2 1.0 0.3 Silicate (mg/L) 17 17 17 Electrical Conductivity (mS/cm) 2570 4127 4490 Cadmium (mg/L) 0.005 0.002* 0.002* 0.01 0.002* Chromium (mg/L) 0.05 0.008 0.014 0.15 0.014 Copper (mg/L) 0.05 0.009 0.015 0.1 0.022 Lead (mg/L) 0.05 0.005* 0.006 0.1 0.007 Mercury (mg/L) 0.0005 0.0001* 0.0001* 0.001 0.0001* Nickel (mg/L) 0.05 0.018 0.021 0.15 0.024 Zinc (mg/L) 0.1 0.025 0.055 0.25 0.098 pH (pH units) - range 6 - 9 6.7 - 8.8 Benzene (mg/L) 0.1* Toluene (mg/L) 0.1* Phenol (mg/L) 1*’ Total PAHs (mg/L) 0.08* E.coli (org/100mL) 145 24100 130000 Acute Toxicity 75% 63%**,***

* Limit of detection ** Should not be less than 75% *** 2 Acute Toxicity results exceeded the limit

Appendix D 45 Bacteriological Monitoring

Every seven days a sample of seawater is collected in 60 centimetre depth of water off-shore from Beach Road and 160 South Road and analysed to determine the concentration of Escherichia coli in the sample. These two points are public access points to Port Phillip bay within Western Treatment Plant and are outside of the designated mixing zones for E.coli. Melbourne Water must report to the EPA if the 42 day geometric mean exceeds 1000 E.coli organisms per 100 millilitres and/or if more than twenty percent of samples (80th Percentile) in any 42 day period exceed 2000 E.coli organisms per 100 millilitres. These results are shown in Table 3.7: E.coli - 42 Day Geometric Means and 80th Percentiles (All results orgs/100 millilitres)

Table 3.8

42-day period ends: Beach Rd 160 South Rd Beach Rd 160 South Rd Geometric Mean Geometric Mean 80th Percentile 80th Percentile 11 February 1997 7 20 10 30 25 March 1997 9 23 10 150 6 May 1997 4 26 8 270 17 June 1997 8 3 12 29 July 1997 14 8 42 10 9 September 1997 3 8 6 1 21 October 1997 37 7 74 30 2 December 1997 18 14 64 50 13 January 1998 6 14 10 30 24 February 1998 6 20 10 50 7 April 1998 3 5 6 10 19 May 1998 6 54 8 180 30 June 1998 20 13 30 20

46 Appendix D Raw Sewage Monitoring

Western Treatment Plant monitors the sewage coming into the plant to ensure that plant processes are managed to treat sewage in the best possible manner. Table 3.8 shows the quality of sewage as it flows into the plant.

Table 3.9

Parameter Unit Median 90th Percentile Maximum Flow (ML/day) 485 529 855

BOD5 (mg/L) 510 610 780 Suspended Solids (mg/L) 435 475 535 Ammonia as N (mg/L) 31 35 37 Total Nitrogen (mg/L) 58 62 67 Total Phosphorus (mg/L) 11 13 17 Colour (Pt/Co units) 150 150 200 Anionic Surfactants (mg/L) 4.7 5.7 6.5 Silicate (mg/L) 14 15 15 Electrical Conductivity (mS/cm) 1850 2050 2200 Cadmium (mg/L) 0.0010 0.0019 0.0050 Chromium (mg/L) 0.051 0.076 0.078 Copper (mg/L) 0.13 0.17 0.24 Lead (mg/L) 0.026 0.069 0.15 Mercury (mg/L) 0.00036 0.00087 0.0026 Nickel (mg/L) 0.0305 0.0869 0.113 Zinc (mg/L) 0.2665 0.3392 0.344 pH (pH units) 7.1 7.2 7.3 Benzene (mg/L) 0.025 0.050 0.10 Toluene (mg/L) 0.050 0.068 0.19 Phenol (mg/L) 0.75 2.57 4.30 Total PAHs (mg/L) 0.018 0.058 0.070

The total volume of sewage received at WTP in 1997/98 was 177,422 ML.

Appendix D 47 APPENDIX E

Waterway Water Quality Monitoring Results

Summary of the Level of Compliance with State environment protection policy The following tables refer to the waterways depicted in the following map. Relevant compliance levels are detailed in the table on page 50. Monitoring data is from the 1997/98 year and is more fully reported in Melbourne Water’s Stream Health Monitoring Reports.

SEPP Segments

Yarra Mainstream & Estuary Western Port Waterways East Waters of Dandenong Valley Urban Tributaries Rural East & West Other Western Waterways Mornington Peninsula Maribyrnong River & Tributaries

48 State Environment Protection Policy Objectives for Greater Melbourne’s Waterways

DO Turb SS TN TP E.coli Pb Zn SEPP mg/L NTU/FTU mg/L mg/L mg/L org/100ml mg/L mg/L Catchment min Median Median max max Geomean max max Waters of the Yarra Catchment Rural Eastern Waterways >6.0 <15 <20 <0.60 <0.05 <200 <0.002 <0.005 Rural Western Waterways >6.0 <25 <25 <0.60 <0.05 <200 <0.002 <0.005 Yarra Tributaries - Southern >6.0 <25 <25 <1.00 <0.10 <1000 <0.002 <0.005 Yarra Tributaries - Northern >6.0 <25 <25 <1.00 <0.10 <1000 <0.002 <0.005 Urban Waterways - Yarra mainstream >6.0 <25c/30d <25c/50d <0.90 <0.08 <200 <0.002 <0.005 Waters of the Dandenong Valley Dandenong Creek & Major Tributaries >4.5 <25 <25 <0.75 <0.1 <1000 <0.05 <0.25 Mordialloc & Kananook Creeks >4.0 <20 <25 <0.75 <0.1 <1000 <0.02 <0.04 Mordialloc & Kananook Creek Tributaries >4.5 <20* <25 <0.75 <0.1 <1000 <0.05 <0.25 Waters of Western Port Bay & Catchment Western Port Watereways - Peninsula >6.0 <25* <25* <0.75 <0.1 <1000 <0.01 <0.005 Western Port Waterways - Eastern >6.5 <25* <25* <0.75 <0.1 <200 <0.01 <0.005 Waters of Victoria Balcombe Creek >5.0 <25* <25 <0.75 <0.1 <1000 <0.01 <0.02 Maribyrnong River & Tributaries >5.0 <25* <25 <0.75 <0.1 <1000 <0.025 <0.05 Maribyrnong River - Estuarine >5.0 <25* <25 <0.75 <0.1 <1000 <0.01 <0.02

Note: (c) Yarra mainstream u/s of Diamond Creek confluence & (d) - Yarra mainstream d/s of Diamond Creek confluence. * SEPPs do not stipulate an objective, therefore this report has assumed a commonly accepted figure for the catchment. SEPPs for the South Eastern and Western waterways do not stipulate an objective for T-N or T-P. Therefore the ANZECC figures have been used (<0.75 mg/L and <0.1 mg/L respectively).

Appendix E 49 Table 1: Yarra Catchment - Rural Eastern & Rural Western Waterways*

Site Description DO Turb SS TN TP E. coli Pb Zn mg/L NTU mg/L mg/L mg/L org/100mL mg/L mg/L Rural Eastern Waterways Arthurs Creek at Burkes bridge, Hurstbridge 8.4 18.0 9 0.69 0.03 129 0.001 0.008 Stringybark Creek at Melba Hwy, Yerring 8.5 20.0 9 0.75 0.03 112 0.001 0.007 Watsons Creek at Henley Rd, Kangaroo Ground 9.7 3.0 2 0.32 0.02 51 0.001 0.007 at Healesville-Kinglake Rd, Healesville 8.8 5.8 4 0.54 0.03 211 0.001 0.006 Woori Yallock Creek at Warburton Hwy, Woori Yallock 9.8 18.0 10 1.01 0.03 42 0.001 0.005 Yarra River at Don Rd, Launching Place 11.3 8.5 10 0.55 0.04 258 0.002 0.003 Yarra River at Everard Park, Healesville 9.6 12.0 11 0.62 0.03 202 0.002 0.004 Yarra River at Spadonis Reserve, Coldstream 8.9 14.0 15 0.80 0.05 152 0.002 0.006 Rural Western Waterways Merri Creek at Summerhill Rd, Craigieburn 7.4 5.2 6 0.90 0.04 50 0.001 0.008

* All results are an annual median, except for E. coli, which is an annual geometric mean.

Table 2: Yarra Catchment - Urban Tributaries (Southern)*

Site Description DO Turb SS TN TP E. coli Pb Zn mg/L NTU mg/L mg/L mg/L org/100mL mg/L mg/L Urban Tributaries (Southern) at Everard Drv, Warrandyte 10.7 18.0 9 3.62 0.21 671 0.002 0.019 Brushy Creek at Lower Homestead Rd, Wonga Park 8.6 11.0 7 5.47 0.49 523 0.001 0.044 Gardiners Creek at Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn 10.1 17.5 9 1.46 0.08 3169 0.013 0.115 Jumping Creek at Jumping Creek Rd, Wonga Park 10.0 11.0 5 1.04 0.05 402 0.001 0.006 Koonung Creek at Bulleen Rd, Bulleen 8.2 48.0 27 1.21 0.12 2986 0.005 0.052 at Reserve, Warrandyte 8.5 30.0 14 3.27 0.32 520 0.004 0.035 Olinda Creek at Macintyre Ln, Coldstream 4.7 8.4 12 3.74 0.18 228 0.001 0.008

* All results are an annual median, except for E. coli, which is an annual geometric mean.

50 Appendix E Table 3: Yarra Catchment - Urban Tributaries (Northern)*

Site Description DO Turb SS TN TP E. coli Pb Zn mg/L NTU mg/L mg/L mg/L org/100mL mg/L mg/L Urban Tributaries (Northern) at Clark Rd, Ivanhoe 9.8 15.5 8 1.11 0.11 1897 0.006 0.097 Diamond Creek at Main Rd, Eltham 7.9 43.0 24 1.21 0.10 479 0.005 0.022 Merri Creek at Roseneath St, Clifton Hill 10.8 4.8 4 1.62 0.11 912 0.006 0.090 Moonee Ponds Creek at Racecourse Rd, Flemington 11.1 16.5 16 2.49 0.12 4739 0.009 0.084 Plenty River at Henty Rd, Lower Plenty 5.4 15.5 12 1.05 0.09 416 0.004 0.033

* All results are an annual median, except for E. coli, which is an annual geometric mean.

Table 4: Yarra Catchment - Yarra Mainstream & Estuary*

Site Description DO Turb SS TN TP E. coli Pb Zn mg/L NTU mg/L mg/L mg/L org/100mL mg/L mg/L Mainstream - u/s confluence Diamond Creek Yarra River at Warrandyte Rd, Warrandyte 10.6 12.5 10 0.92 0.06 120 0.002 0.006 Mainstream - d/s confluence Diamond Creek Yarra River at Banksia St, Heidelberg 9.0 19.0 16 1.04 0.06 187 0.002 0.010 Yarra River at Chandler Hwy, Kew 8.8 42.0 34 1.17 0.08 427 0.006 0.035 Upper Estuary Yarra River at Johnston St, Abbotsford ns ns ns ns ns 191 ns ns Yarra River at Princes Bridge, Melbourne 8.3 11.5 17 0.94 0.09 518 0.006 0.040 Yarra River d/s of Prahran Main Drain, South Yarra ns ns ns ns ns 1282 ns ns

* All results are an annual median, except for E. coli, which is an annual geometric mean. ns = not sampled

Appendix E 51 Table 5: Waters of Dandenong Valley*

Site Description DO Turb SS TN TP E. coli Pb Zn mg/L NTU mg/L mg/L mg/L org/100mL mg/L mg/L Dandenong Creek at Pillars Crossing, Dandenong Sth 9.8 38.0 26 1.44 0.09 1014 0.008 0.093 Dandenong Creek at Sheffield Rd, Doongalla Forest 11.0 16.0 12 1.10 0.02 82 0.002 0.017 Dandenong Creek at Stud Rd, Dandenong 9.1 27.0 18 1.44 0.09 466 0.004 0.056 Eumemmerring Creek at Worsley Rd, Bangholme 9.5 43.0 23 2.39 0.21 484 0.005 0.044 at National Water Sports Centre, Bangholme 9.2 48.0 36 2.25 0.18 132 0.008 0.062

* All results are an annual median, except for E. coli, which is an annual geometric mean.

Table 6: Mordialloc & Kananook Creeks, & Mornington Peninsula Waterways*

Site Description DO Turb SS TN TP E. coli Pb Zn mg/L NTU mg/L mg/L mg/L org/100mL mg/L mg/L Mordialloc & Kananook Creeks Kananook Creek at Wells St, Frankston 8.8 4.2 19 0.75 0.12 294 0.003 0.016 Mordialloc Creek at Wells Rd, Mordialloc 7.5 33.5 30 1.80 0.19 697 0.006 0.100 Mornington Peninsula Waterways Balcombe Creek at Uralla Drive, Mt Martha 8.3 10.3 9 0.91 0.04 407 0.001 0.022 Chinamans Creek at Eastborne Rd, Rosebud West 4.1 3.6 2 1.58 0.05 148 0.001 0.031 Dunns Creek at Marine Drv, Safety Beach 7.8 3.9 2 0.60 0.03 203 0.001 0.013 Western Port Peninsula Main Creek at Boneo Rd, Cape Schanck 10.6 3.2 4 0.54 0.02 304 0.001 0.004 Merricks Creek at Bridge St, Merricks 9.1 7.5 10 0.96 0.14 346 0.001 0.015 Watsons Creek at Dandenong-Hastings Rd, Somerville 8.5 21.0 17 34.75 0.18 1054 0.002 0.022

* All results are an annual median, except for E. coli, which is an annual geometric mean.

52 Appendix E Table 7: Western Port Waterways (Eastern)*

Site Description DO Turb SS TN TP E. coli Pb Zn mg/L NTU mg/L mg/L mg/L org/100mL mg/L mg/L Bunyip Main Drain at Iona 10.1 12.0 10 0.57 0.03 220 0.001 0.006 Lang-Lang River at South Gippsland Hwy, Lang Lang 10.3 20.0 12 1.31 0.07 219 0.001 0.007 at Morrisons Rd, Labertouche 9.3 10.0 8 0.53 0.04 230 0.001 0.004 Toomuc Creek at Princes Hwy, Pakenham 10.2 13.0 6 0.49 0.03 241 0.001 0.007

* All results are an annual median, except for E. coli, which is an annual geometric mean.

Table 8: Maribyrnong River & Tributaries*

Site Description DO Turb SS TN TP E. coli Pb Zn mg/L NTU mg/L mg/L mg/L org/100mL mg/L mg/L Maribyrnong River & Tributaries Maribyrnong River at Brimbank Park Ford, Keilor 8.1 7.8 8 1.07 0.04 94 0.002 0.009 Maribyrnong River at Canning St, Avondale Heights 8.3 13.0 14 3.03 1.15 145 0.002 0.021 Steele Creek at Rose Av, Niddrie 10.5 18.0 5 0.93 0.06 581 0.004 0.115 Maribyrnong River - Estuarine Maribyrnong River d/s of Ascot Vale Main Drain, Ascot Vale 9.7 4.6 16 1.06 0.33 52 ns ns

* All results are an annual median, except for E. coli, which is an annual geometric mean. ns = not sampled

Table 9: Other Western Waterways*

Site Description DO Turb SS TN TP E. coli Pb Zn mg/L NTU mg/L mg/L mg/L org/100mL mg/L mg/L Cherry Lake at Millers Rd, Altona ns ns ns ns ns 86 ns ns at Millbank Drv, Deer Park 7.8 19.5 17 0.73 0.06 255 0.003 0.016 Kororoit Creek at Racecourse Rd, Altona 13.0 19.0 27 1.51 0.17 288 0.006 0.027 Skeleton Creek at Ayr St, Laverton 6.5 4.0 6 0.75 0.15 383 0.001 0.014 at Bena St, Yarraville 11.4 9.1 8 2.57 0.26 1782 0.004 0.083

* All results are an annual median, except for E. coli, which is an annual geometric mean. ns = not sampled

Appendix E 53 APPENDIX F

Verification Statement Data Aggregation

Melbourne Water Corporation (MWC) commissioned The review process consisted of checking data samples for Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC) to accuracy in transcription and aggregation of data from independently verify data presented within this Annual product groups or from laboratories. The findings were as Environment and Public Health Compliance Report follows: 1997/98. This was MWC’s fifth public reporting cycle but • Due to the nature of quarterly and monthly internal the first independently verified. reporting existing within MWC the procedures in place were reliable. Verification Scope • The data was found to be correct in the large majority of The scope of the independent verification was to cover the cases and the transcription and aggregation process following: correct. Some minor deficiencies were noted mainly as a result of printing errors, assumptions and mis- • review of report for any major anomalies; interpretation of the reporting period. • verify data interpretation and accuracy at the corporate and reporting level and to a limited extent data General Findings and Recommendations collection methodologies; and The statements and data presented within this report • identify potential improvements for future reporting. are fair and accurate and reflect an accurate transcription The verification process was carried out over two weeks of data collected on site and general site performance. with over 50 sets of data presented within this report. The following general findings/recommendations resulted The process included interviews with more than 10 relevant from the verification process: personnel and several site visits. The review was not an • Some of the data collection procedures need to be audit and therefore its objective was not to verify the streamlined to improve the reliability of some of the accuracy of data collected (or sampled) at site level nor was data sets. it to assess the report against any existing guidelines. • The verification process for the next reporting cycle Two major outputs of the verification process are: this should assess reporting mechanisms at more depth, verification statement and a detailed verification report as well as completeness in the reporting of MWC’s on the findings. performance.

Data Verification The above findings summarise a range of issues for further improvement and have been presented in a detailed report The verification process involved assessing the accuracy of to MWC. the data by randomly sampling data sets, and following the reporting trail to check for completeness and reasonableness of assumptions. The findings were as follows: Terence Jeyaretnam • More than 95% of the data sets checked were found to EPA Accredited Environment Auditor be accurate. The small number of anomalies found Manager - Environment, SMEC Victoria were related to assumptions, data belonging to a different time period other than 97/98, 09 February 1999 misinterpretation during data aggregation at the corporate level, error in calculations or misprinting. The anomalies were not substantial. • In the majority of the cases, a data trail was quite easily identified and verification simplified. The personnel responsible for data collection and reporting were helpful in this respect.

54 APPENDIX G

Publications

Care About The Bay (Drainage environmental tips)

Down Under Down Under - Difference between Sewerage and Stormwater Systems

Eastern Treatment Plant

Effluent Management Study Newsletter, Volumes 1-4

Healthy Waterways

Mainstream, Volumes 1-12

Managing Our Water Resources - Effluent Reuse

Melbourne Water, Managing Our Water Resources

Methane Power

Stream Frontage Management Program

Water Source

Waterways and Drainage fact sheets

Waterways and Drainage System

Western Treatment Plant

55

FEEDBACK SHEET

1997/98 Environment and Public Health Report

Facsimile: (03) 92357177 Telephone: (03) 9235 7100

Mail: Corporate and Community Relations, PO BOX 4342, Melbourne VIC 3001

Report Content

The report had:

■ Too much detail

■ The right amount of detail

■ Not enough detail

The report described Melbourne Water’s environmental and public health performance in a way that was :

■ Easy to follow

■ Hard to follow

The design of the report made it:

■ Easy to read

■ Hard to read

Suggestions for Other Information in Next Year’s Report

Is there any other sort of information that you would like to know about Melbourne Water’s environmental and public health performance:

■ Yes

■ No

If yes could you indicate what you would like to know about below:

Melbourne Water could improve its reporting of environmental and public health performance by:

The Environment and Public Health Report is available as downloadable files on the internet at Melbourne Water’s homepage: www.melbwater.com.au

57