The NSW Environmental Protection Authority has committed to more testing of sediments in waterways around the Brou waste facility after a feisty meeting at Narooma on Wednesday.
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Acting regional director Nigel Sergeant told the meeting the EPA would test sediments on Whittakers Creek to allay any fears, even though the most recent water testing showed no toxicity due to leaching from the nearby landfill.
He also told the 32 people present that the EPA would work with with the Office of Environment and Heritage on wider ranging analysis of the waterway and catchment.
The department could look at other potential influences and also issues such as the lack of dissolved oxygen that may have caused the fish kill in December.
EPA unit head South East region, Matt Rizzuto gave a detailed analysis of recent testing, also praising the landowner who sparked the investigation with his own round of testing.
NSW Department of Primary Industries fisheries manager for aquatic ecosystems Jillian Reynolds said she did not believe consuming fish from Brou Lake was problematic or that fish were contaminated.
While any number of factors could have caused the fish kill, such as low levels of oxygen, she said she would also be interested in sediment testing.
Eurobodalla Shire Council manager of environmental services Deb Lenson took issue with a number of criticisms levelled at the council by some at the meeting about alleged tip mismanagement and hiding of problems.
“”It offends us to hear you say that we do not care about our waterways and we want the best for our environment,” she said, a sentiment echoed by mayor Liz Innes, who opened the meeting.
Ms Lenson did commit to better notification of leachate pond overflows and to be more transparent with any testing for contamination.
Councillor Maureen Nathan said she wanted more sediment and soil testing to see if there was any historic contamination, even if the current water testing showed no toxicity.
Also present were a number of members of the Indigenous community and the commercial fishing sector, including John Brierley, who noted that prawns in Brou Lake seemed stunted and did not grow as well.
He also said recent attention on Brou Lake and potential pollution from the landfill had cut fish prices and hurt commercial fishermen.
Several representatives from fishing clubs attended, including Max Castle from the Tuross Head Fishing Club, who is also vice-president of Recreational Fishing Alliance and member of the Recreational Fishing Advisory Council of NSW.
Mr Castle, who is very concerned about the recent fish kill, said the community was not being notified of potential problems and too many government agencies were involved. He said this issue would be raised as part of a review of the Marine Park system.
Planning and Sustainability Services director Lindsay Usher said the bottom line was that the most recent water testing by the EPA had confirmed there was not a problem with water quality, but concerns were still held by the community.
He committed to reconvening the meeting with the same agencies and stakeholders once the EPA had conducted its additional sediment testing and convening with the Office of Environment and Heritage.
Landowner Warren Buchan started the whole process of testing after noticing black, toxic-looking sludge in the waterway on his property that leads into Whittakers or Brou Creek and then into the lake.
He said he was not letting his cattle graze on the paddock directly below the landfill leachate ponds and wanted assurances that contamination was not responsible for the ill health of his and another farmer’s stock.
More to come as the investigation continues.
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Stan Gorton
Walkley-nominated journalist based at The Islander on Kangaroo Island with an interest in the local community and the environment.
Walkley-nominated journalist based at The Islander on Kangaroo Island with an interest in the local community and the environment.
