2021-12-07 Planning & Environment Committee Meeting Agenda - Updated

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                 7 DECEMBER 2021


Legacy Situations
In Burgess Creek, Lake Cooroibah, Lake Cootharaba and Lake Weyba the current long-term
monitoring data shows that the 2010 WQO are not consistently met, and it is generally poorer than
water quality measured in 2004.
The water quality is likely related to land use activities in the contributing catchment. Examples are
Burgess Creek has high amounts of urban runoff from sports fields, residential developments and
is the discharge location for Noosa Sewage. Lake Cooroibah and Lake Cootharaba have septic
systems in their catchments, and Lake Weyba receives runoff from surrounding urban and
industrial development
These surrounding land use activities largely pre-date the 2004 monitoring data, and do not
incorporate current best practice water quality treatment designs.
It is considered that further work can be undertaken by Council and stakeholders to improve the
water quality through improved catchment management and point discharge, prior to accepting a
less stringent WQO.
Summary of Position
In summary the recommended position on changes to the existing 2010 WQOs as detailed in
Attachment 2 are that:
1.    where the proposed WQOs are more stringent than 2010 WQOs and more stringent than
      historical data up to 2004 for the equivalent Low or High low splits, the change is supported;
      or
2.    where the proposed WQOs are less stringent than the historical data up to 2004 for the
      equivalent Low or High low splits, but more stringent than the 2010 objectives, then our
      request is that the new objectives are based on relevant percentiles for historical data up to
      2004, this is to facilitate no worsening over time; or
3.    where the proposed WQOs are more stringent than the historical data up to 2004 for the
      equivalent Low or High low splits, but less stringent than the 2010 objectives, they are not
      supported, and the request is to keep objectives in 2010 WQOs;
4.    where the proposed WQOs are less stringent than 2010 objectives, they are not immediately
      supported, and the request is that the 2010 objectives remain in place until the need for the
      change can be attributed to something in the existing environment that cannot be changed
      or better managed.
DES have advised that they are looking to finalise the revised EVOs and WQOs in the coming
period, with a view to implement them from July 2022, particularly with regard to the HLW Report
Card. Council staff have advised DES of the findings of their preliminary review as outlined above.
Previous Council Consideration
The General Committee Meeting dated 18 September 2017 included a detailed report for Council
for consideration concerning the proposed review of the Environmental Protection Policy WQOs
for the Noosa River Basin.
Council resolved at its meeting of the 21 September 2017 to Council note the report by the
Environment Officer to the General Committee Meeting dated 18 September 2017 regarding
proposed changes to the Queensland Environmental Protection Policy and agreed to make a
submission to the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection as outlined in Section 6 of
the report.
Finance
The maintenance of a superb water quality rating for the Noosa River Basin will require ongoing
investment in improvement projects. At the same time the basis for many aspects of the Noosa
economy is also reliant on maintaining a superb water quality rating.


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