EPA inspections will be conducted throughout Werribee on Wednesday in a bid to reduce pollution

The EPA is coming after businesses in Melbourne’s western suburbs in a bid to make sure they are not adding to pollution in waterways.

Business in Melbourne’s western suburbs will be targeted by the environmental watchdog in a bid to campaign to reduce pollution at creeks and beaches.

Environment Protection Authority officers will conduct random inspections in Werribee from Wednesday, May 3 to combat pollution seeping into the waterways.

EPA Western Metropolitan regional manager Steve Lansdell said businesses have to prevent “bad habits” on the worksite.

“What goes into stormwater drains goes direct to waterways and beaches — don’t be the business that is responsible for a public health emergency or expensive clean-up,” Mr Lansdell said.

“By acting on prevention, you protect the community — don’t taint their beach, creek or park, and don’t kill off the wildlife in their wetland”.

Under Victoria’s environment protection laws, all businesses have a general environmental duty to reduce risk to human health and the environment.

EPA officers have targeted nearly 400 businesses across Victoria this year.

Mr Lansdell said businesses need to be aware of acts which may seem innocuous, but cause significant harm elsewhere.

“Some stormwater pollution is from incidents — a rainstorm causing an overflow or an accidental spill — but some of it is from faults in everyday work that gradually foul the environment,” Mr Lansdell said.

“Only rain should go into the stormwater drain. Even what looks like harmless wastewater from vehicle washing should go to the sewerage system since it often contains traces of waste or the chemicals used in the business”.

Earlier this year, a report conducted by Ecology Australia biologists and the Australian Platypus Conservancy found several platypus at the Werribee river were at risk due to rubbish and pollution.

Platypus advocates have also coined the term “platypus-sensitive urban design” to encourage people to think about the effect of pollution going into waterways.