Licence conditions for pollution studies and reduction program


  

Licence conditions for pollution studies and reduction programs

Summary
 
Licence number: 4965
Title: PRP 700: Review of Dry Weather Leakage Monitoring Program Pollution Reduction Program
Start date: 23 Apr 2012
 
Licence Condition
700.1 The objective of this PRP is to improve the effectiveness of the dry weather leakage program by requiring the licensee to: a) review and assess the effectiveness of the program since its commencement in July 2005 in identifying dry weather leakage across the system and driving rectification works; b) review the current monitoring requirements to develop and recommend a revised monitoring program which factors in the risk of leakage from various parts of the system and that can be tailored to the sewage characteristics of each individual SCAMP or system; and c) identify and prioritise SCAMPs known to require intensive catchment investigation / rehabilitation works in order to inform negotiation of further licence specific works based PRPs.
700.2 The licensee must undertake a review of the results of the dry weather leakage monitoring program since its commencement in July 2005 and submit a report to the EPA by 31st May 2012. The report must include, but does not need to be limited to: i) detailed analysis and interpretation of the sampling data to identify trends in detected dry weather leakage across the system and also to identify the factors that are primarily contributing to the patterns of leakage identified; ii) details of responses to the detection of dry weather leakage including a description of investigation and rectification works undertaken to remedy the leakage (including a cost of these works) as well as works identified but not yet undertaken.
700.3 The licensee must undertake a review of the effectiveness of the current dry weather leakage monitoring program and submit a recommendation to the EPA for a revised risk based monitoring program for on-going monitoring of SCAMPS across the Sydney Water network by 30th June 2012. This report must include an indication of the implications for the costing of the proposed monitoring program associated with any recommended changes. The proposed monitoring program does not need to be limited to bacterial parameters, but can be extended (with justification based on known sewage characteristics each SCAMP/system) to other parameters that enable the detection of dry weather sewage overflows in receiving waters.
700.4 The licensee must undertake a review of all SCAMPs that consistently have sampling results above the investigation threshold of 10 000cfu/100mL and submit a recommendation for an investigation and works prioritisation program to the EPA by 31 July 2012. The review must include but is not limited to: i) a framework for prioritising SCAMPS ii) timeframes to undertake priority investigations and works identified using the framework established by i) above iii) a proposed approach and schedule for undertaking priority works for consideration by the EPA.
The EPA intends to implement further PRPs on the licences to require timely works in the poorest performing SCAMPs as negotiated with the licensee.
The Licensee must undertake a water quality monitoring program to characterise the Eui Creek Spring water quality against the groundwater discharge from the mine adit, discharge post permeable reactive barrier (PRB) treatment from the premises against background quality of waters in Eui Creek, Webbers Creek and Billy Brook. The monitoring program must include: a) quarterly sampling unless otherwise approved in writing by the EPA; b) sampling from a groundwater sample representative of the underground workings, a sample of post PRB and wetland treated effluent, a sample from the Eui Creek spring, a sample of Eui Creek upstream of the discharge, and a sample of Webbers Creek upstream of the Eui Creek confluence (or at locations required in writing by the EPA). c) analysis for electrical conductivity, pH, total suspended solids, anions, cations, alkalinity (caCO3) bicarbonate, a full suite of total and dissolved metals (or analytes required by the EPA in writing)' and d) sampling during wet and dry climatic periods to appropriately characterise the nature of the groundwater and surface water through these periods. The monitoring program must be consistent with the document titled Water Characterisation Monitoring Program Great Greta Colliery Final May 2021 prepared by Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited. EPA Reference DOC21/436383
The Licensee must provide an annual report with the Annual Return on the results of the water quality characterisation program to the EPA. The report must be prepared by an appropriately qualified and experience person and include monitoring results and any existing data to assess temporal changes, including rainfall data for the period, in any analysis.