Licence conditions for pollution studies and reduction program


  

Licence conditions for pollution studies and reduction programs

Summary
 
Licence number: 1802
Title: PRP 7 - Investigation and Improvement Works for the "Terrigal Bowl" Sewerage Reticulation System
Start date: 23 Sep 2019
 
Licence Condition
Background and purpose of the Pollution Reduction Program “Beachwatch” water quality monitoring has shown that the water quality at Terrigal Beach has not always been satisfactory with regard to bacteriological criteria.  Subsequent investigations by the Office of Environment & Heritage (now part of Department of Planning, Industry and Environment) have shown that the bacteriological contamination is principally of human origin.  Urgent actions are necessary to address this issue. The purpose of this Pollution Reduction Program is for the licensee to: investigate all potential sources of sewage contamination in the Terrigal Catchment from the sewerage reticulation system and connections to this system; prioritise actions for addressing all potential sources of sewage contamination in the Terrigal Catchment; and implement a program of works to repair or replace those parts of the sewerage reticulation system that pose a risk to human health and the water quality of Terrigal Beach and Terrigal Haven. Note:  For the purposes of this Pollution Reduction Program, the Terrigal Catchment is considered those sub-catchment zones 1, 2(A), 2(B), 2(C) 2(D), 3 and 4 described in Figure 16 of Central Coast Council's "Terrigal Catchment Audit - Initial Water Quality Investigation Report", received by the EPA on 9 August 2019.
Deliverables The licensee must complete an audit pertaining to the sewerage and stormwater reticulation systems relating to the current water quality issues within the Terrigal Catchment ('The Audit'). The licensee must also complete investigations into the areas identified within The Audit as 'High Risk Infrastructure' (*) that needs repairs/upgrade works; what those repairs/upgrade works should be; and implement any repairs or upgrades necessary to the reticulation systems. (*) 'High Risk Infrastructure' means: 1) Sewer mains located above, or adjacent to, or crossing, stormwater drains or culverts; 2) Sewerage network consisting of aged and/or more vulnerable pipe materials, located in close proximity to the stormwater network, watercourses or natural waterways; 3) Sewerage network with a history of failure in proximity to the stormwater network, watercourses or natural waterways; 4) Designed overflow points from the sewerage network. By 1 May 2020 the licensee must submit to the EPA an interim report detailing "The Audit and High Risk Infrastructure Investigation and Outcomes" including details of all completed repairs, scheduled repairs, and infrastructure identified as requiring repairs or upgrades, as a result of the investigations. The Audit The Audit must include, but need not be limited to the following: 1)  a review of historical investigations and sampling for the Terrigal Catchment related to sewer discharges and/or current water quality issues including: a)  existing inspection and audit reports; b)  CCTV or other investigations undertaken as a result of discharges or other defects within the reticulation system, including private connections; and c)  repairs and upgrades undertaken as a result of discharges or other defects within the reticulation system, to produce a table identifying: locations of discharges/issues (addresses and/or eastings and northings), the cause of the discharge/issue and the actions taken in response to the discharge/issue. 2)  discussion with key Council field staff as to what they have observed over a period of years when investigating sewage overflows or conducting routine maintenance, and what they consider might be main contributing factor(s) to the bacteriological contamination evident in the stormwater system.  This review should take the form of a table identifying the staff members name, their position, how many years they have been attending to sewer breaks / spills in the area, and what they consider to be the main contributing factor(s) to the bacteriological contamination evident in the stormwater system; 3)  intensive water quality sampling within the stormwater catchment to help identify key areas of concern in the sewerage reticulation, requiring more detailed investigations;  4)  an assessment of all water quality data from the Terrigal Catchment and ocean locality to help identify key areas of concern, including: a)  an assessment of the relationship between poor water quality results in Councils Beachwatch program with; rainfall, lagoon openings and overflows, leakages, breaks and other faults associated with the sewerage reticulation system as well as any reported private overflows, leakages, breaks and other faults; and b)  an assessment of catchment water quality data to identify key areas of concern, including High Risk Infrastructure in the sewerage reticulation system which requires more detailed investigations. 5)  a map of current sewerage and stormwater infrastructure within the catchment including: a)  designed overflow relief structures; b)  a coding system (eg a "heatmap") to identify locations of historic sewer issues and stormwater quality issues in the reticulation systems, including private infrastructure connections; c)  the location of major upgrades or repairs undertaken within the past 5 years; and d)  the location of any unmapped or inaccurately mapped reticulation infrastructure identified through the Audit. The Interim Report The Interim Report due 1 May 2020 must include, but need not be limited to: a)  A summary of the findings of the review of historical investigations, including the table identifying the locations and details of sewage discharge issues; b)  A summary of the discussions with key Council field staff as to what they consider might be important contributing factor(s) to the bacteriological contamination in the stormwater system.  The table of these discussions as described above must be provided; c)  A summary of the intensive stormwater sampling undertaken to help identify key areas of concern in the sewerage reticulation system; d)  A summary of the findings of the review of historic water quality data; e)  The map of the sewerage and stormwater infrastructure described above; f)  A summary of the initial works / actions completed in response to the Audit and Investigations; and g)  A summary of the works / actions that need to be completed in response to the Audit and Investigations. Future Works and Actions By 30 October 2020 the licensee must prepare and submit a report to the EPA detailing any further works required on the sewerage reticulation system as an outcome of the The Audit and relevant information and recommendations outlined in the NSW Government Report into water quality issues within the Terrigal Catchment (this report is expected to be completed in July 2020). The Future Works and Actions Report must include, but need not be limited to the following: 1)  a list of works undertaken to repair, replace or upgrade the sewerage reticulation system since the submission of the Interim Report; 2)  a list of scheduled works proposed to be undertaken to repair, replace or upgrade those parts of the sewerage reticulation system identified as needing action; 3)  timelines for completion dates of each of the identified works to be undertaken; and 4)  any areas where further investigations are necessary to identify sources of sewage contamination in the stormwater system.
Following the completion of the Terrigal catchment investigations, it is the intention of the EPA to require similar investigations in other catchments.
To avoid delays in implementing works, the licensee should begin ameliorative works as soon as possible, and this may be prior to submitting the reports or obtaining feedback from the EPA. However, it is the EPA’s intention to review the Program of Works and formalise the appropriate completion dates for the works to be undertaken as condition(s) of this licence.