Multi-million dollar campaign by Water Corporation to minimise any future sewage spills

22/2/97

Water Resources Minister Dr Kim Hames today launched a multi-million dollar Water Corporation campaign to minimise any future sewage spills into the Swan and Canning Rivers and significant wetlands.

Dr Hames said protecting the river system and associated wetlands was absolutely vital to the future health and well-being of Perth people.

"Our river system is unique in Australia," he said.

"It is basically broad and shallow with little water movement.

"This means anything which goes into the river, be it sewage, chemicals or fertilisers, has a bigger impact than on a waterway which is constantly flushing through.

"There have, for example, been six sewage overflows into the Swan and Canning Rivers in the past two years which the Water Corporation recognises must be prevented from happening again where possible."

Dr Hames said that because of Perth's topography, it had more sewerage pumping stations than other cities of similar size and population throughout the world.

"There are about 490 sewerage pumping stations in the Perth metropolitan area, of which 232 are located near the Swan and Canning Rivers or significant wetlands.

"Of those, 113 are in need of action to reduce the risk of overflow and 73 have been targeted for immediate attention."

Sydney, with more than three times Perth's population, has about 300 pumping stations.

Dr Hames said the Water Corporation's strategy for reducing sewage spills included:

·      a supervisory control and data system to provide continuous monitoring and control at 32 of the most critical pumping stations at a cost of $1.5 million.

·      This system will provide immediate notification of alarm system failure;

·      installation over the next three months of ultrasonic level controllers at 150 pump stations at a cost of $300,000. These will assist in monitoring the pumps for any abnormalities; and -

·      a 'belt and braces' safeguard, with Chubb Security contracted to provide a fleet of vehicles to inspect pump stations along the Swan and Canning Rivers and those near major wetlands.

The river pumping stations will be inspected three times a day and those near wetlands once a day.

The patrols will continue until the major upgrade, estimated to cost $500,000, has been implemented.

In addition the corporation will: 

·      be represented on a high-level Ministerial working party which will continue to investigate ways of safeguarding the river system and wetlands from sewage spills;

·      research overflow design capacity at pump stations to ensure adequate storage is available in the event of an emergency;

·      develop an incident response plan; and -

·      implement a public awareness program.

Dr Hames said the Water Corporation's strategy was timely as the waterways could not cope with further pollution burdens.

The Minister has also commissioned a $500,000 fail-safe back-up system for the corporation's sewage pumping facility at Armagh Street in Victoria Park.

"The Armagh Street facility was responsible for a major sewage spill into the Swan River during the particularly rough winter of 1995," he said.

"This new system is designed to prevent a similar occurrence."

Media contact: Caroline Lacy 322 6529