Environment Department demands City pay $2.1 million in ‘restoration works’ after Albert River fail

The City has been given one of the largest enforceable actions handed down in Queensland with the Environment Department demanding $2.1 million in works after the Albert River sewer leak.

Gold Coast City Council has been slapped with one of the largest “enforceable actions” handed down in Queensland with the Environment Department demanding $2.1 million in works after the Albert River sewer leak.

The Bulletin in early April exposed how the pipe – a sewer rising main crossing the river just east of the Pacific Motorway linking to Logan’s Beenleigh treatment plant – was leaking untreated effluent.

Each day two Olympic-sized swimming pools of filth went undetected into the river from January 11 to April 8. The state Environment Department (DESI) described council’s system breakdown as a “catastrophic failure”.

The investigation, just completed, involved compliance officers visiting multiple river sites to conduct water sampling and collect plant and fish specimens.

The State Environment Department has handed down its finding on the Albert River sewer leak which requires the Gold Coast City Council to undertake significant repair work.

“Our investigation determined there had been significant environmental impacts by the unlawful release of contaminates to waters,” the department said.

“When considering appropriate enforcement action, we determined the community would be best served by ensuring ratepayer moneys remained in the local community rather than council bearing the costs of a prosecution and ultimately any penalty imposed.”

Council has apologised for the incident.

“The City regrets this incident. We acknowledge that there was no evidence of long term environmental impacts from this spill and remain committed to rigorous and continual improvement,” a spokesperson said.

“The City has already implemented recommendations from an earlier independent investigation into the incident. This includes targeted condition assessments of our assets and improved monitoring.

“These important environmental projects for the northern Gold Coast are already in planning and will be delivered promptly for the enjoyment of the community.”

Key requirements of the Department’s enforceable undertaking include:

* A $1.1 million project to remove weeds and plant native vegetation at August Burrow Park, Alberton which will improve the condition of the wetlands.

* A $120,000 project to remove weeds and plant native vegetation at Halls Road Nature Reserve, Luscombe.

* A $1 million-plus project to design and implement an enhanced sewer network monitoring project which will significantly reduce the risk of future sewage spills.

* The provision of high value scientific data to DESI and industry.

* Substantial improvements to infrastructure management systems and processes including condition assessments of all high-risk infrastructure.

Investigations by State Environment Department officers after the Albert River sewer leak.

Brad Wirth, DESI executive director for Industry Development and South East Compliance,

says the department is committed to the protection of the environment and will take strong action to protect our natural assets.

“When considering our enforcement options, the decision to accept an enforceable undertaking rather than a lengthy prosecution means the Gold Coast community will directly benefit from the enforcement action,” he said.

State Environment Department officer undertaking investigation on the Albert River sewer leak.

“This is a great outcome for the people of the Gold Coast as it means the money will be invested locally, will result in the enhancement of their natural environment, and will build the resilience of council’s essential sewerage infrastructure.

“We will be closely monitoring council’s compliance. There are strong penalties that can apply if council fails to comply with the requirements of the enforceable undertaking.”

DESI officials are satisfied with council’s response to the incident, co-operation in the investigation and its commitment to fully implement the recommendations from its own independent investigation. There are no ongoing community health concerns for the waterways.

Council in its own investigation using consultants found the council pipe had failed multiple times, including nine days before it cracked.

Consultants AECOM, appointed by council, also discovered flow meters installed at a nearby pump station were removed earlier. This flow technology checks the daily amount of wastewater through the pipes and its data captures significant decreases.

The Albert River sewer leak - this is the Gold Coast City Council pipe leak.

Despite these failings, the city’s expenditure on wastewater assets was halved, which meant fast-forwarding a new northern treatment plant did not occur, nor more staff inspections on the faulty pipeline network.

Gold Coast was spending three to four times less annually than neighbouring local authorities, despite a population explosion in the city’s north and infrastructure delay which saw neighbouring Logan City treat Gold Coast waste from Stapylton, Yatala and Ormeau.

A council spokesperson, after the release of its report, said the final summary conclusions from Griffith indicated the Albert River recovered quickly.

The spokeperson added that “there was a significant failure in our systems and we remain focused on implementing recommendations from the earlier independent investigation which we released to the public”.

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