The impacts of the community of Kununurra on surrounding land and water resources need to be managed and minimised.
Many of the strategies are aimed at encouraging the local community to take responsibility for the impacts they have and trying to reduce these impacts. It is important to highlight that the local residents have a responsibility for improving the management of town related impacts. The Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley (Shire Wyndham East Kimberley) has responsibility for leading and supporting improved management of the town rubbish tip, drainage from the town and taking a lead role with land use planning.
The Water Corporation is responsible to the community to ensure that the Waste Water Treatment Plant has minimal impact on the environment, residents and water users and that the health of members of the community is not compromised by their management of the facility.
* Please note - It is important to recognise that the strategies developed in this chapter will need to be built on as new knowledge is developed and targets are achieved. At this stage they provide a starting point and a framework for commitment from all the parties involved in Land and Water Management on the Ord.
Goals
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To ensure that recommendations from the Kununurra Wyndham Area Development Strategy are adhered to for the time frame of the plan (25yrs) and that any changes to this and other town planning schemes only occur through due process.
The town of Kununurra and the irrigation area are part of the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley’s Town Planning Scheme. This document determines the locations of new/different land uses, where subdivisions can occur, as well as planning for locations of future developments.
Current StatusThe Town Planning Scheme No. 7 was reviewed in 1999. There was extensive public consultation and discussion on the document and the reviewed scheme is currently being finalised.
In addition to the Town Planning Scheme there is also a longer-term development strategy being developed for the area. This is the Kununurra-Wyndham Area Development Strategy (KWADS). This has been put together by the Kununurra-Wyndham Area Development Strategy Steering Committee.
The purpose of KWADS will be to provide long term (25 years) guidance to the relevant bodies that manage land use planning. It will ensure that environmental and heritage values are protected and that settlement expansion is managed and the need for new settlements investigated. It aims to promote tourism and development nodes, assess the need for further industrial land and coordinate the provision of transport and other service infrastructure.
This document incorporates the town-planning scheme, and is focused on a large area – taking in Wyndham, Kununurra, parts of the Northern Territory, and the land area extending to the coast. This document was out for public comment during November 1999.
The KWADS document covers areas of concern related to land use planning that were raised in the Issues Paper including: ensuring that the integrity of agricultural land is maintained, and minimising the potential for conflicting land uses to be located near one another.
To ensure that land use planning initiatives are successful in the future it will be necessary that those most involved both understand the process and actively participate in the development, review and implementation of land use planning initiatives.
Strategy Strategy 1Community participation in land use planning by:
1. Informing the community about the benefits of well-planned development to reduce confusion and frustration often expressed during plan development and review.
2. Ensuring consultation with key community groups as well as informed individuals.
3. Ensuring adequate levels of advertising to provide the community with sufficient information to enable constructive participation in plan development and implementation.
ResponsibilitiesThe Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley plays a lead role locally with land use planning. The Western Australian Planning Commission is responsible for planning at the state level.
ReferencesKununurra Wyndham Area Development Strategy Steering Committee, (1999) Kununurra-Wyndham Area Development Strategy, Western Australian Planning Commission.
Goals
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To ensure that wastewater effluent is removed from the M1 channel and put to productive use within two years.
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To ensure that within two years potential ground water contamination around the wastewater treatment plant is monitored.
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To ensure that all management information and monitoring data are freely and publicly available.
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To have deep sewerage available to 100% of the Kununurra town site in three years and 100% connection to deep sewerage in five years.
The Water Corporation manages the Kununurra Waste Water Treatment Plant. This plant is made up of a series of ponds and treats wastewater from the town of Kununurra. Treated effluent from this plant is returned into the main irrigation delivery channel (M1) between Ivanhoe Road and the Victoria Highway. This plant is designed to service an estimated population of 7350 people.
The Water Corporation has a license from the Department of Environmental Protection that enables it to discharge water into the M1 channel. This license has a number of requirements and is given under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (Department of Environmental Protection, WA, 1998).
These requirements include:
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There is no loss of wastewater through seepage or by overflow from rainfall events and no vegetation is allowed to grow on the banks of the ponds.
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Monthly flow volumes from the site must be measured.
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A sampling point in the outlet pipe must be maintained.
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A sample of treated wastewater being discharged from the site shall be collected every three months.
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All samples shall be collected by, or under the instruction of a qualified chemist and in accordance with Australian Standard 5667.1, 1998, or other approved standard.
There are also requirements for the removal and disposal of sludge (bio-solids) from the ponds, including drying times, removal, on site storage, testing and disposal (Department of Environmental Protection, WA, 1998).
Following community pressure in 1998 (principally through the LCDC) there has been work done in an attempt to reduce the impact of treated effluent discharged to the M1 Channel. The community concern came from the fact that the water in the M1 channel (1km downstream of the outfall) is used by the Shire to irrigate some areas of the town. The school and a caravan park also use this water for irrigation, and farmers come into contact with the water while irrigating crops
The Health Department of WA advised that if there is wastewater being used to irrigate areas of the town, there are limits that need to be placed on the use of this water. There are guidelines for the direct reuse of wastewater, however, the water leaving the Waste Water Treatment Plant is diluted in the M1 Channel and there are no guidelines for levels in diluted water.
The acceptable levels for using the water to flood irrigate crops is 1000cfu/100ml. From the data provided by the Water Corporation the biggest problem occurs at the time of the year when irrigation water demand is low (January/February) when treated effluent entering the channel is not well diluted.
Current KnowledgeThe water in the channel is tested monthly for thermotolerant coliforms and nematodes (the levels of nematodes can not exceed two larvae or eggs that resemble hookworm or Strongyloides). The water is also tested for nutrients – phosphorus and nitrogen (it should be noted that the coliform testing is not specifically on human coliforms – therefore the animal life in the channel may also be contributing to the levels).
These samples are gathered by the Water Corporation and sent to an independent laboratory for analysis. This data is then made freely available to the public – the LCDC receive copies of this monthly data.
The wastewater in the treatment ponds has a residence time of 27 days (minimum) in high flow times and an average detention time of 35 days over the past 12 months (pers coms RD Becu, 1999).
The treatment plant treats most of the wastewater from Kununurra, with the exception of Weaber Plains light industrial area, and some of the Ivanhoe Industrial area, and the plant is currently operating at approximately 55% capacity.
The plant has eight separate ponds that are clay lined. There are two sets of four ponds and half the wastewater flows through one set of ponds and the other half through the other set of ponds. As the wastewater flows through the series of ponds it is progressively treated and when it leaves the last pond it runs down a pipe and into the M1 Channel. This wastewater is diffused through a PVC structure in the channel.
Since July 1998 thermotolerant coliforms have not been recorded above the current guideline of 1000cfu/100mls at any of the sampling sites, except for the site 6km downstream where this level was reached on one occasion (March 1999).
The levels of nitrogen and phosphorus are highest directly downstream of the outfall, but these levels are well diluted in the channel and have minimal impact on the downstream water quality.
The sampling in the M1 Channel has been extended to 6km downstream of the outfall and in consultation with the Health Department the Water Corporation is extending microbiological monitoring downstream.
Projects under wayThe Water Corporation has completed planning for alternative effluent disposal options including discharge in the M1 Channel, establishing a tropical tree plantation, irrigation of a sugar cane crop, irrigation of the Kununurra Golf Course and improving the effluent quality through advanced treatment techniques. Local stakeholders considered these options during a workshop in September 1999. The recommendation from this meeting was to establish a tropical tree plantation on the area adjacent to the Waste Water Treatment Plant site.
Knowledge Gaps-
The Health Department guideline for the use of water from the M1 channel – downstream of the Waste Water Treatment Plant.
Reduce the impacts of the Waste Water Treatment Plant on downstream water users by:
1. Removing Waste Water Treatment Plant effluent from the M1 Channel, and;
2. Confining the excess effluent to a specific area.
Strategy 2Monitor the impacts of the Waste Water Treatment Plant on downstream users by:
1. Regular sampling of the M1 Channel water for the nutrient and biological factors currently sampled by the Water Corporation.
2. Determining what the guidelines for microbiological activity in the M1 Channel water should be.
Strategy 3Monitor the impact of Waste Water Treatment Plant on the immediate area by:
1. Regular sampling of ground water for changes in levels and nutrients using piezometers around the wastewater treatment facility.
2. Record complaints about odours from the plant.
Strategy 4Reduce the impact of wastewater on ground water by:
1. Providing a deep sewerage service to those parts of the town currently not connected and using leach drains.
Strategy 5Ensure awareness and understanding within the community about the Waste Water Treatment Plant and related issues by:
1. Ensuring that the information from the above strategies is made public through existing community groups (such as the LCDC) and the media.
ResponsibilitiesThe Water Corporation has responsibility for managing the Waste Water Treatment Plant and the impacts of this plant. The community also has a responsibility to ensure that they utilise the information that is provided to them, to remain informed about the issue.
ReferencesGary Munns – pers comm, 20th February 2000
Kununurra Waste Water Treatment Plant – Options for Treated Waste water Disposal, August 1999, Water Corporation Infrastructure Branch.
Letter from R Becu, Manager Assets, North West Region, 21 July 1999.
Letter from the Health Department of Western Australia, Environmental Health Service, August 1998.
Department of Environmental Protection, WA (1998), Licence - Kununurra Waste Water Treatment Plant, Licence No. 6270/2, Environmental Protection Act 1986
Goals
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To ensure that inputs to and outputs from the rubbish disposal site are managed to Department of Environmental Protection requirements within 2 years.
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To increase the utilisation of recyclable refuse including green waste, aluminium, glass, etc by 50 % in four years
The Kununurra Rubbish Tip is currently situated on the east side of town and is open 24hrs a day. The tip is not manned and therefore it is hard to control what is dumped there. More effective and environmentally sound practices are now required (which may require manning of the tip) to meet more stringent operating licence conditions introduced over the last two years (Shire Wyndham East Kimberley Council minutes 17th February).
The Shire has a waste disposal license from the Department of Environmental Protection (which was issued 18 months ago). The current location of the tip (about 1km from Lake Kununurra) was not cause for concern for the Environmental Protection Authority when they were issuing the license.
The current location has a life of about ten years. After this time a new location will be required where there will be much stricter controls on the inputs to the tip.
Recycling Used OilOil cannot be disposed of at the Rubbish Tip. Used oil can be recycled or refined into products for which there are environmentally sound markets (such as recovering the energy value of oil through high temperature incineration in cement or lime kilns) (Australian Institute of Petroleum Ltd, 1996). Most of the companies that provide oil have a responsibility to take back used oil. In Kununurra there are a number of different oil companies in business and most of them will take back their own customers used oil.
There are no legal requirements for any shire council to have an oil recycling station in their area (Ken Rain, pers comm, 1999). There are oil recycling plants in areas such as Karratha where there are large volumes of oil used by heavy industry. (Graham Cobby, pers comm, 1999)
Glass, Aluminium, etc.The major difficulty with recycling glass, aluminium and other household products is the cost of transporting the recyclable products to an area where they can be recycled. The collection of aluminium and glass would cost around $80 per household per annum.
Green WasteShire Wyndham East Kimberley is encouraging residents to recycle their green waste. Late in 1999 they were providing compost bins at a reduced cost to encourage their use. Other green waste generated (eg garden clippings) can also be composted.
Drum MusterShire Wyndham East Kimberley is looking at becoming involved in the nation wide program called Drum Muster (this was a recommendation from the August 19th 1999 council meeting). This involves the collection and recycling of agricultural chemical containers. This program is designed to be cash neutral and is funded by a levy on chemical drums purchased. It involves providing a collection place for clean containers and then having them recycled or reused.
Knowledge Gaps-
What is actually being dumped in the tip?
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Is the tip having any adverse off site impacts e.g. ground water contamination?
Reduce the risk of adverse effects from illegal dumping of rubbish by:
1. Manning the tip – this will enable better control of what is dumped in the tip,
2. Becoming involved in the Drum Muster program to encourage the responsible disposal of chemical containers.
Strategy 2Reduce the amount of waste being generated by:
1. Recycling green waste, plastics, glass, aluminium, etc.
2. Reusing glass, aluminium, plastic and paper, etc.
Strategy 3Increase the level of education and awareness about waste related issues by:
1. Encouraging educational programs, such as Ribbons of Blue, for local schools and community groups.
2. Utilising existing newsletters and media outlets such as: Ord Land & Water News, Shire newsletters, Kimberley Echo.
3. Investigating other avenues for awareness raising across cultural boundaries.
ResponsibilitiesThe Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley plays a lead role in managing waste in the area. It is therefore the responsibility of the Shire and the residents (ratepayers) to support improvements in the management of waste in the area and awareness raising projects.
ReferencesAustralian Institute of Petroleum Ltd. (1996), Code of Practice for The Management of Used Oil, Melbourne.
Graham Cobby – Senior Assessor, Safety and Environment Branch, Petroleum Division, Department of Minerals and Energy, Western Australia.
Ken Rain – Department of Environmental Protection.
Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley Shire Council Minutes from 17th February 2000.
Goals
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To reduce the impacts of drainage from town areas on local waterways by 50% within five years.
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To ensure that industrial storage areas all comply with Australian and Western Australian standards within two years.
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Eliminate the risk of waterway contamination from surface water run-off from the airport within two years.
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Eliminate the risk of waterway contamination from fuel leakage or spills from sites within the town and at the airport within five years.
Most of the drainage water from the town of Kununurra runs into Lily Creek Lagoon (part of Lake Kununurra). There is a large drain that drains the Hidden Valley area, a number of large concrete drains that drain Lakeside, a large drain that runs alongside Ivanhoe Rd (past the Shell Roadhouse) as well as numerous other drains around the town that feed storm and run-off water into the lake.
The concern with the drains running into Lake Kununurra is that the water they transport has the potential to carry contaminants, for example: off road contaminants such as oil, grease, heavy metals etc, and from parks and gardens (including personal gardens) such as fertilisers. Gross pollutants such as beverage containers, plastic and paper are also a problem.
Some of the drains have the potential to act as weed seed sources if they are not properly managed.
The time when drainage off the urban areas is most important is generally the first run-off event of the wet season. This is due to the build up of oil and other hydrocarbons on the roads during the long dry season.
Current KnowledgeDuring 1998 the program to sample water quality picked up traces of a number of chemicals in Lily Creek Lagoon (the section of Lake Kununurra where most of the drainage water from the town enters).
The cumbungi in Lily Creek Lagoon may be acting as a biological filter for water entering Lake Kununurra. The Shire has cleared some areas of cumbungi in Lily Creek to “beautify” the area but they have not cleared areas where there are drain outlets.
Illegal dumping of waste into the drains is an offence and the Shire can prosecute offenders.
AirportThere is potential for a major fuel spill to pollute the M1 Channel, the Ord River, and Lake Kununurra as stormwater drainage from the airport discharges to these locations. Whilst the risk is low the consequences could be great and whilst there are emergency plans in place for minor incidents, there is a need for the Shire to address this issue in more detail.
Knowledge Gaps-
The amount of contaminants that actually enter the drainage system and the impacts that these are having.
Minimise the impacts of the urban area on surrounding waterways by:
1. Increasing education and awareness about urban impacts on waterways. The program would need to be ongoing and focus on the time of the year prior to the onset of the wet season. This could be done through:
a) The Ribbons of Blue program (a community environmental education program),
b) Ord Land & Water newsletters,
c) Shire “Cyclone Cleanup” newsletters, and
d) The Kimberley Echo.
2. Ensuring the contingency plan for dealing with fuel run-off from the airport is current and addresses all the issues associated with the location of the airport (proximity to Lake Kununurra, the Ord River and the M1 Channel) and the possibility of leakage and spills.
Strategy 2Monitoring the impacts of the urban area on the waterways by:
1. Sampling drainage water flows during rainfall events to determine the level of contaminants in the water.
ResponsibilitiesShire Wyndham East Kimberley has responsibility for the airport and contingency plans for accidents in the area. They also have a responsibility to support awareness about the issue of drainage off urban areas.
The Water and Rivers Commission has a responsibility to support awareness and to monitor the impacts of urban areas on the surrounding waterways.
Residents of the area have a responsibility to reduce the impacts that they are having on the waterways.