2018-07-10 P&E Agenda Attachment 1 to Item 8 - Draft Noosa River Plan

Residential septic systems
Residential on-site septic systems and waste water treatment facilities have the potential to impact
groundwater quality if not appropriately managed, particularly within rural sub-catchments.
Council has a non-statutory responsibility to ensure education, behaviour change and compliance programs
are in place to prevent waterways pollution, including pollution of groundwater.


  Objective 10: Sewage collection and treatment facilities are designed and managed to minimise
  adverse impacts on water quality (including groundwater) and habitats.

  Management response                                                         Who             When

  Establish an inspection program to proactively investigate potential        Council         Medium term
  of septic systems (and waste water treatment facilities) effluent




                                                          T
  leaking to groundwater.




                                                        F
Littering




                                                      A
Littering in and around the Noosa River system is quite common. Hotspots include the river foreshores,
popular fishing locations, islands in the river, and along the beaches.




              R
CSIRO has conducted significant research into littering and marine debris in Australian waters.
Survey data from every 100 km along the Australian coastline has shown that approximately three-quarters




            D
of the litter along the Australian coastline is plastic. Most is from Australian sources, not from overseas, with
litter concentrated near urban centres.
Useful interventions, as identified by CSIRO,
include:
   •	‘Targeted’ litter education and
      awareness campaigns to stop
      littering.
   •	Litter debris traps in both surface
      and stormwater systems to reduce
      litter loads to waterways.
   •	River and beach clean ups to reduce
      litter deposited in and around local
      waterways.
A 2017 trial, using ‘litter booms’ in
waterways and ‘foreshore and beach
cleaning’ conducted within the Sunshine
Coast Local Government Area, removed
3,493 plastic bottles and 2,659 plastic bags
over a four month period.
Trials such as these, implemented in
conjunction with targeted litter education
and behaviour change campaigns, can deliver
tangible outcomes in mitigating the impact
of marine debris in the Noosa River.



Page 40 l Noosa River Plan