2017-07-11 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                    11 JULY 2017


8                        INVESTIGATION OF STORMWATER POLLUTION IN NOOSAVILLE INDUSTRIAL
                         AREA
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                              Coordinator Environmental Health, Geoff Atherfold
                                    Community Services Department

Index                               ECM / Subject / 62.1 Waterways

Attachments                         1.   Investigation into Stormwater Pollution from Noosa’s Industrial
                                         Activities (33 page attachment provided separately to this report)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Coordinator Environmental Health to the Services and
Organisation Committee Meeting dated 11 July 2017 providing an update on the investigation of
stormwater pollution in the Noosaville Industrial Area and:
A.                       Continue to work in partnership with relevant industries to facilitate dissemination of
                         information on environmental compliance and sharing of knowledge within various industry
                         groups; and
B.                       Request staff to prepare amendments to the Noosa Shire Council Local Law No 1
                         (Administration) 2015 to be considered by Council at a future date, that:
                         1.   Make the operation of industrial premises a ‘prescribed activity’ which requires
                              approval and sets out relevant environmental conditions;
                         2.   Introduce a risk based annual inspection program of industrial premises to monitor
                              compliance with the environmental conditions of the approval; and
                         3.   Provide for the recovery of fees for undertaking the risk based annual inspection
                              program and approval process.


REPORT
1.                       Purpose

This report is to inform Councillors of the results of investigations implemented under a new
initiative in the 2016/17 budget where Council approved funding for the engagement of additional
resources in Environmental Health Section to undertake a review of the industrial premises in
Noosaville in the vicinity of Rene Street to ascertain potential pollution sources impacting on
Eenie Creek.

2.                       Background

Noosa has a large number of waterways with significant ecological and recreational value, that
could potentially be impacted by poor industry waste management practices and/or ageing
infrastructure. An initial project was undertaken by an environmental health student working with
the environmental health team as part of her studies, which involved an investigation into the
quality of stormwater exiting from drainage points into Eenie Creek. The stormwater drainage
area captures stormwater from the Noosaville Industrial Estate in the Rene Street precinct.



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