Central Highlands Water to pay $100,000 to community project

Equipment failure caused by poor maintenance combined with a lack of proper staff training led to a major release of treated effluent by Central Highlands Region Water Corporation to the Yarrowee River causing pollution and fish deaths.

Central Highlands has entered into an Enforceable Undertaking with EPA Victoria requiring they take major steps in improving their systems and contributing to the community including $100,000 to improve the Yarrowee River.

In February and March 2023, Central Highlands released treated effluent from the Ballarat South Wastewater Treatment Plant to the Yarrowee River during a disruption to the normal operation of the plant, this treated effluent had elevated levels of ammonia. An estimated 19 megalitres flows into the plant every day.

 “Central Highlands self-reported the incident, as it is required to do, and has fast tracked a multi-million dollar improvement project, but EPA investigations show this event could have been prevented and harms reduced had there been better training, better equipment and maintenance and a better understanding of environmental requirements,” said EPA South West Regional Manager Martha-Rose Loughnane.

“The terms of the Enforceable Undertaking include $100,000 contribution to benefit the community and environment in support to the Yarrowee Leigh Catchment Group Incorporated initiative to improve the condition of the Yarrowee River, for a project to be delivered in collaboration with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.

 “Central Highlands is also required to spend $160,000 to get expert help in improving their operational performance as well as $20,000 on a study of the event itself which will be used to educate the industry as a whole.”

Ms Loughnane said the event was a reminder to not just the water industry but all business that protecting the environment was everybody’s duty and included a need to make continuous improvements.

Read the Enforceable Undertaking for more information.