Sepia Depression Ocean Outlet Landline (SDOOL)
| Downloads | |
|---|---|
 | Annual Report 2009 |
|
Background
The Sepia Depression Ocean Outlet Landline (SDOOL) is a 24 km pipeline used for the disposal of treated wastewater from the Woodman Point and Point Peron wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and wastewater from the Kwinana Water Reclamation Plant (KWRP) and selected industries.
The SDOOL extends 4km offshore from Point Peron into the Sepia Depression. The SDOOL has conveyed treated wastewater from Woodman Point and Point Peron WWTPs since 1984. However, environmental approval to discharge wastewater from selected industries was only granted in October 2004 (Minister for the Environment - Statement 665). The discharge of contaminant loads from industries is capped at a maximum permissible level of 3.5 times the typical annual industrial load in 2004. The industry participants cannot increase their discharge of current contaminant loads to the marine environment, nor add a new unspecified industrial discharge to the SDOOL without prior referral to the Environmental Protection Authority.
Regulatory Framework
Water Corporation received environmental approval on 28 October 2004 from the Minister for the Environment to discharge up to 30MLper day of industrial wastewater to the Sepia Depression Ocean Outlet Landline (SDOOL) (Ministerial Statement 665). The sources of the industrial wastewater licensed to be discharged into the SDOOL are the Kwinana Wastewater Reclamation Plant (KWRP), BP Refinery, CSBP Limited and Edison Mission Energy. CSBP Limited commenced discharging into the SDOOL in October 2005 and BP Refinery more recently commenced discharge into the SDOOL in August 2009.
CSBP, BP and Kwinana Cogeneration Plant are industries that have been approved to discharge their wastewaters into the SDOOL. A condition of environmental approval is that industrial wastewater can only be accepted into the SDOOL if the quality of the combined wastewater stream meets the ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000) 80% species protection guidelines for bioaccumulating toxicants at the point of discharge, and the ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000) 99% species protection guidelines for toxicants at 100m from the diffuser. The exception to this is cobalt, where the 95% species protection guideline needs to be met at 100m from the diffuser.
Environmental Monitoring
A Monitoring and Management Plan has been developed to ensure that both the ecological and social environmental values for marine waters in the vicinity of the Sepia Depression are maintained. This plan details the monitoring required to evaluate the environmental effects of discharging treated wastewater and industrial wastewaters into the Sepia Depression. It also describes the investigative or management responses that may be implemented in the event that guideline trigger levels or Environmental Quality Standards are exceeded.
The impacts of treated domestic wastewater discharged via the SDOOL is monitored and managed through the PLOOM Programme.
The findings from the SDOOL Monitoring Programme are reported annually in the SDOOL Annual Report, prepared by Oceanica Consulting. Comparison of the 2008/09 SDOOL results with the conditions and commitments listed in Ministerial Statement 665 (conditions 7.1, 7.4, 10.1, 11.1 and commitments 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12 and 13) found that compliance was achieved in all instances.
The SDOOL project team comprises of a multi-disciplinary group of scientists. Personnel from each organisation are responsible for carrying out monitoring and/or analytical tasks specific to their area of expertise.
| SDOOL Program Team | ||
| Involvement | Team Member | Organisation |
| Water Corporation Project Manager | Craig Byers | Water Corporation |
| Oceanica Project Director | Karen Hillman | Oceanica |
| Project Manager | Karen Crawley | Oceanica |
| Treated Wastewater Characterisation | Dr Karen Hillman Sarah Scott | Oceanica Oceanica |
| Initial Dilution Modelling | Kellie Holloway | Oceanica |
| Water Quality Monitoring | Kris Wienczugow | MAFRL, Murdoch University |
| Phytoplankton Monitoring | Stuart Helleren | Dalcon Environmental |
| Ecotoxicity Testing | Dr Jill Woodworth Dr Rick Krassoi | Geotechnical Services Pty Ltd Ecotox Services Australasia |
| Annual Reporting | Dr Karen Crawley | Oceanica |
Stakeholder Liaison Group
For a working copy of the monitoring and management plan, please contact Wastewater Treatment (Operations) Branch on 9420 3736 or email craig.byers@watercorporation.com.au.
A Stakeholder Liaison Group has been formed to assist the Water Corporation in managing concerns regarding the discharging of treated wastewater and industrial wastewaters to the Sepia Depression and to review its environmental performance.
| Membership and Contact details | |
| Chairman: Mr Ron Kemp | ron@ikon.biz |
| Jeff Ibbott (Water Corporation) | jeffery.ibbott@watercorporation.com.au |
| Ivan Unkovich (Water Corporation) | ivan.unkovich@watercorporation.com.au |
| Craig Byers (Water Corporation) | craig.byers@watercorporation.com.au |
| Chris Oughton (Kwinana Industries Council) | chris.oughton@cciwa.com |
| Richard Smith (City of Rockingham) | janrich@wn.com.au |
| Peter McKenzie (Town of Kwinana) | peter.mckenzie@kwinana.wa.gov.au |
| Peter Knol (Department of Environment and Conservation) | peter.knol@dec.wa.gov.au |
| Kane Moyle (Recfishwest) | kane@recfishwest.org.au |
| Brett Carter (Community) | Brett-Rotary@westnet.com.au |
| Nick Jones (City of Cockburn) | njones@cockburn.wa.gov.au |
| Tom Rose (Community) | tom.rose@dec.wa.gov.au |
| Vacant | Kwinana Users Group |
Annual Reporting
The Water Corporation is required to submit an annual report and an annual compliance report to the Department of Environment and Conservation. Copies of the reports can be obtained by emailing craig.byers@watercorporation.com.au.
