Landholders Sue Baaden and Phil Deane at Corumungel Creek which they say was polluted by sewerage discharge.
A group of Wahring farmers are complaining that a creek passing through their properties has been polluted by a discharge from the Nagambie sewerage treatment complex.
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One of the landholders has obtained a sample from the discharge pipe which testing revealed had a high E. coli level in the waste water, indicating contamination by faecal matter.
Goulburn Valley Water has stopped the discharge earlier this month and has said no further discharges were planned this winter.
The discharge pumped from a lagoon to a roadside table drain, which flows into the Corumungel Creek, east of Nagambie.
The creek is a tributary of the Pranjip Creek, which flows into the Goulburn River.
EPA north-east regional manager Renee Palmer saidan EPA investigation had been underway since late June, following complaints from the public about GV Water discharging waste water into a table drain that leads to Wormangal Creek.
“Wet weather overflows from sewage treatment plants are subject to strict licence conditions, and a detailed EPA investigation is ongoing,” Mr Palmer said.
GV Water said its effluent discharged met its licence conditions.
But the farmers say there is no way the smelly, black waste water emanating from the pipe and running into the creek could have been suitable for discharge.
Landholder Sue Baaden said the discharge was “hideous”.
She and farmer Phil Deane want to see discharges stopped and the drain and creek rehabilitated.
Other farmers interviewed by Country News said they wanted assurances the discharge was not harmful to the creek, and to livestock which might drink it.
Gordon Ewart said his main concern was the health of his stock.
Phil Deane was alarmed by the creek water turning black and was concerned that his Angus cattle might drink the water.
He said heavy rains could flush the waste into the river system including the Goulburn River.
Ms Baaden, who lodged a complaint with the EPA, said the waste was emptying into a creek that was almost dry, meaning there was little dilution to the flow.
“It’s just not good enough,” she said.
Waste water being pumped into the table drain in Zanelli Rd, Nagambie.
GV Water acting managing director Daniel Flanagan said the authority released fully treated recycled water from its Nagambie Wastewater Management Facility from June 4 until August 12 under strict conditions of its EPA operating licence.
“Water was released at a rate of up to 1 megalitre/day, and we continued to self-report to the EPA during the release under the licence requirements,” he said.
“The water was released into Wormangal Creek via a table drain, following a review of the most suitable discharge pathway to prevent the discharge from passing through a neighbouring property’s stock dam.
“This release was in response to onsite treated waste water storages reaching capacity following heavy rainfall and localised flooding in January, and was designed to bring storage lagoons back to a reasonable level until waste water could once again be beneficially reused for irrigation.
“We sample at the storage lagoon and at discharge points weekly during treated waste water releases using an independent, NATA-accredited laboratory.
“Reports show the waste water met the higher level, Class B recycled water, during the discharge period, and throughout the past 12 months.
“E. coli results during the discharge were <63orgs/100ml, which is within the parameters for Class B quality.
“Results of the receiving environment for factors such as E. coli is often variable, due to the ambient sources of effluent which can occur from agricultural activities and other sources.
“The treatment process at Nagambie is via nine treatment and storage lagoons, meaning the waste water is of higher quality and has minimal suspended solids that would contribute to a build-up of sludge.
“We will continue to review and assess at the discharge location,” Mr Flanagan said.
“During every release event, we continually monitor and assess for any environmental impacts, particularly during releases where there are low existing waterway flows, including this one following drier winter weather conditions impacting Wormangal Creek flows.
“We adjusted the release as much as possible to minimise the release volume to environment during the extended dry period.”
A media release was publicised to advise of the discharge.
“Information and test results were provided to several neighbouring property owners who contacted us about the waste water release.”
For further information, contact the GV Water Customer Service Centre on 1800 454 500.
The roadside table drain where the treated waste water from the Nagambie sewerage lagoons was discharged into. Dried sludge can be seen along at least 50 metres of the drain.
Farmer Gordon Ewart is concerned by the discharge into the creek that runs through his property. Stock have access to the creek.
A wag has drawn up a new sign for the creek which carried treated waste water.
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