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The Department of Environment and
Conservation (DEC) has served an investigation
notice on landfill operator Atlas Brick to ensure it acts on groundwater
contamination in Dianella and Mirrabooka.
The notice sets out a number of stringent
requirements to investigate, monitor and assess the landfill site and provides
strict timeframes for compliance.
The notice also includes a requirement for
Atlas to door-knock residents immediately downhill of the landfill to advise
them of investigation works and any likely disturbances.
Atlas will be required to install eight
groundwater monitoring wells on land outside the Atlas landfill site.
The penalty for failure to comply with the
notice under the Contaminated Sites Act is up to $500,000, plus a daily penalty
of $100,000.
Past investigations have shown groundwater
has been impacted by the landfill which, until 1997, accepted mixed household
and industrial waste. That waste has since decomposed to create a liquid
(leachate) which has entered groundwater.
Nearby residents were offered free screening
of their bore water in April last year after several bore water samples from
the area tested positive for chemicals including ammonia, chloride, metals, and
hydrocarbons such as diesel.
To date, all chemicals, including metals and
hydrocarbons detected in bore water samples from the potentially affected areas
of Dianella and Mirrabooka, have been well below levels of public health
concern. However, DEC recommends that the affected garden bores are not used and new bores
not established in the area of concern.
Note: This issue is confined to water drawn
from garden bores only. Public drinking water from the tap (scheme water) is
NOT affected.
For more information call the Contaminated Sites Hotline on 1300 762 982 or view the documents listed below.
Please note:
The Department of Health advises that untested and untreated bore water should never be used for drinking, food preparation or filling swimming pools.
Children should not play under bore water sprinklers.
All home grown fruit or vegetables should be washed before being eaten.
Bore water should be used for non-potable purposes only, such as watering gardens and washing cars.
 Contaminated groundwater - could my garden bore be affected? (702.17 kB)
Using bore water safely - Department of Health (88.22 kB)
Department of Health
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