Sewage leaks into Warriparinga wetlands in Marion

Raw sewage from a blocked SA Water pipe has leaked into the Warriparinga wetlands in Bedford Park.

Warriparinga Wetlands. Picture: Marion Council

Sewage has leaked into the Warriparinga Wetlands in Bedford Park from a blocked SA Water pipe.

Marion Council was alerted yesterday that SA Water was fixing the pipe from which raw sewage was flowing into the wetlands on the corner of Sturt and Marion roads.

The leak was caused by tree roots blocking the pipe.

The wetlands were shut yesterday while SA Water’s crew attempted to stop the spillage.

The site was reopened to the public this afternoon but visitors were advised not to make direct contact with the water until further notice.

The amount of effluent spilt is not yet known.

Friends of Warriparinga chairman Bruce Wilson said he was worried about the impact on the wetlands and the Sturt River.

“I am quite concerned with the fact that raw sewage has spilt into the (wetlands) at Warriparinga,” Mr Wilson said.

“As far as I know the Environmental Protection Authority is monitoring water quality at the site, River Sturt and Warriparinga Wetlands.”

The Warriparinga Wetlands. Picture: Marion Council

Councillor Bruce Hull said he was concerned the spill could have spread into the Sturt River due to the rain.

“We are not certain how far this has spread,” Cr Hull said.

“We’ve had a lot of rain and the wetland can only hold so much water.”

Marion Council chief executive Adrian Skull told a council meeting on Tuesday night that he was seeking assurance from SA Water that such an incident will not occur again.

SA Water will monitor water in the wetland until Monday.

An SA Water spokesman said it had measured dissolved oxygen levels - in partnership with the EPA - and found it was “within acceptable levels, posing no immediate environmental risk to wildlife as a result of the spill.”

“The amount of sewage that entered the wetlands is relatively small in comparison to the volume of water in the area, and council’s flows to the wetlands have proactively increased to further dilute the spill.

“Visual monitoring will continue for the remainder of the week to identify any environmental changes.”

SA Water will now remove the remaining tree roots nearby and then conduct a CCTV inspection of the sewer main to ensure there are no other intrusions.