2022-09-12 General Committee Meeting Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                         12 SEPTEMBER 2022


   restoration, pedestrian access, fire management and community awareness. This plan will
   be releases for community consultation in the coming months.
   Council’s current and future plans in relation to the management of outflows and water
   quality from the Unitywater Wastewater Treatment Plant discharging into Burgess
   Creek
   The Noosa sewage treatment plant has been in place since 1995 and has enabled much of
   the development and growth of the surrounding urban areas through its provision of
   treatment services.
   While Burgess Creek itself is affected by treated water and stormwater discharge, it has an
   important role in helping to protect Noosa River, Laguna Bay and the Coral Sea, particularly
   inshore waters, by filtering water as it flows through the catchment and discharges to the
   sea. The higher levels of infiltration, filtration and nutrient uptake afforded by the natural
   surfaces and native and weedy vegetation in the bed, banks and surrounds of Burgess Creek
   reduces the amount of water, sediment and nutrient entering the Coral Sea and being swept
   up into Laguna Bay when compared to a piped outfall. This in turn helps improve inshore
   water quality and reduces algal blooms. The Shire’s A- Healthy Land and Water Report
   Card rating in the Noosa River’s lower reaches is due in part to it not receiving the lower
   quality water inputs from the densely populated coastal areas it might otherwise.
   Council’s Environmental Health branch regularly monitor water quality at Burgess Creek
   under the bridge at David Low Way and at the mouth. Environment Services and
   Environmental Health officers recently visited Unitywater’s seven (7) monitoring sites with
   Unitywater as part of a cooperative approach to ongoing integrated water quality monitoring.
   Better signage with a QR code linking to Council’s planned water quality public monitoring
   dashboard is recommended to increase awareness about the environmental health
   implications of outflows into Burgess Creek following high rainfall events.
   Council has been working with Unitywater to address community concerns regarding the
   Burgess Creek catchment as part of Unitywater’s Water Matters Plan. The plan sets out a
   strategic management approach to total water cycle management for Unitywater’s assets
   and services, and links to broader catchment management issues. To assist with
   communications,       Council    has      developed      a    dedicated     project      page
   (https://www.noosa.qld.gov.au/burgess-creek) providing information about the catchment’s
   natural features, erosion concerns, Council projects underway, and the quality of water in the
   catchment. In April 2021 Unitywater commenced community consultation on the Water
   Matters Plan, and further consultation is expected in early 2023.
   Council’s responsibilities and obligations for stormwater pipes, culverts and other
   infrastructure which stormwater and treated wastewater are channelled
   Council is responsible for the maintenance, upgrade, and renewal of stormwater assets.
   Wastewater assets are the responsibility of Unitywater.
   Broad catchment wide planning is underway to investigate opportunities to improve
   stormwater management and identify any other point source pollutants in the Burgess Creek
   catchment. Work is also underway at the Girraween Sports Fields to trial measures to reduce
   nutrient loads from the sporting field entering Council-managed lands and Noosa National
   Park.
   Council’s duties in respect of downstream erosion caused to dunes and beaches as a
   result of storm water discharge and wastewater outflows from the Unitywater
   Wastewater Treatment Plant
   The area around the Burgess Creek outlet is State reserve for the purpose of maintaining
   the ‘esplanade’. Council is trustee of this reserve, responsible for day-to-day management,
   and is performing a range of management activities as outlined previously in this report.
   The Department of Environment and Science is the responsible agency under the

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