Preventing or reducing water pollution protects our water quality and maintains the health of our environment and our own quality of life.
Water pollution comes from:
- industry
- sewage treatment plants
- households
- streets
- footpaths.
Individuals pollute water by:
- pouring oils down drains
- washing cars
- cleaning paint brushes
- using chemicals on their gardens.
These pollutants wash or blow into stormwater drains and local waterways causing harm to natural ecosystems and reduce the quality of the water essential for use.
Prescribed water contaminants include pollutants like chemicals, oil, paint, animal matter, plant matter, rubbish, sewage and wastewater from outdoor cleaning processes.
In Queensland, materials which are prescribed as water contaminants under the Environmental Protection Regulation 2019, Schedule 10 are:
- a chemical, or chemical waste containing a chemical, for example:
- biocide, including herbicide, fungicide and pesticide
- chemical that causes biochemical or chemical oxygen demand
- per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
- a gas other than oxygen
- a liquid containing suspended or dissolved solids
- a liquid that has a temperature different by more than 2 degrees celsius from ambient water temperature
- animal matter, including dead animals, animal remains and animal excreta, and water used to clean animals, animal enclosures or vehicles used for transporting animals
- ashes, clay, gravel, sediment, stones and similar organic or inorganic matter
- a substance that has a pH outside the range 6.5 to 8.5
- building and construction materials, including bitumen, brick, cement, concrete and plaster, for example:
- cement washed to create exposed aggregate treatment
- coloured powder used to create stencilled concrete features
- building, construction and demolition waste, including bitumen, brick, concrete cuttings, plaster and wastewater generated by building, construction or demolition
- clinical waste
- glass, metal parts, paper, piping, plastic and scrap metal
- industrial waste
- oil, including, for example, petroleum or vegetable based oil
- paint, paint scrapings or residues, paint sludge, water used for diluting paint or washing painting utensils, and waste from paint stripping
- plant matter, including, for example, bark, lawn clippings, leaves, mulch, pruning waste, sawdust, shavings, woodchip and other waste from forest products
- putrescible waste, including, for example, food scraps
- regulated waste mentioned in schedule 9, part 1, column 1 as a prescribed contaminant
- sewage and sewage residues, whether treated or untreated, and any other matter containing faecal coliforms or faecal streptococci, including, for example, wastewater pumped out from a septic tank
- vehicles and components of vehicles, including, for example, batteries and tyres
- waste and wastewater, generated from indoor cleaning, including, for example, waste from carpet or upholstery cleaning and steam cleaning
- waste and wastewater, generated from outdoor cleaning, including, for example, waste generated from high pressure water blasting of commercial or industrial premises, fuel dispensing areas, plant or equipment, roofs, streets, vehicles and wharves
- waste generated from repairing or servicing motor vehicles, including, for example, engine coolant, grease, lubricants and oil
- waste water, including backwash from swimming pools, condensate from compressors, water from air-conditioning or cooling systems and wastewater from grease traps.
In many areas across Queensland, a yellow-brown foam can be seen in rivers, creeks and canals.
A scientific study of the foam indicates the presence of vegetable material, like grass clippings, leaves and twigs which have blown or washed into the waterways.
Microscopic observation has shown:
- algae
- vegetable debris
- traces of naturally occurring minerals
- some organisms, namely iron bacteria.
The iron bacteria are normally associated with brown material washed out of storm water systems.
Bacterial analysis has shown faecal coliform levels (faecal coliforms are a sign of human waste in the water) to be within acceptable limits, that is less than 200 faecal coliforms per 100 millilitres water sample.
Chemical tests have also shown ammonia and/or phosphate are not above background levels. The low faecal coliform, ammonia and phosphate results show that the foam is not due to sewage.
The foam appears to form by the action of wind and waves on decaying vegetable matter, causing entrapped air to create foam.
If you’ve seen a slimy brown material in your local waterway or drain- it could be iron bacteria, a naturally occurring microorganism. While it may be unsightly it is not harmful to health. Iron bacteria have lived in our waterways for over a million years. Iron bacteria feed on iron. When the bacteria are ‘feeding’ they may leave a slimy rust-coloured or a rainbow sheen on the surface of creeks, rivers or stormwater systems fed by ground water.
If you live near a waterway, you may notice its worse after heavy rainfall. This is because iron rich soils are entering the waterways. It's important to remember that iron bacteria are not harmful to our health, and they do not adversely affect our waterways.
The Process
When oxygen, water and iron mix together they can create the right conditions for iron bacteria to grow. Iron bacteria ‘feed’ on iron within the water. The iron bacteria ‘feeding’ makes the rust-coloured slimy deposit or rainbow sheen you may have seen.
Spotting Iron Bacteria
Iron bacteria are normally rust coloured and slimy, with a rainbow sheen on the water’s surface, which looks a lot like oil or petrol. The bacteria will normally break up when disturbed. Council officers use a simple test to see if the sheen is oil or iron bacteria. A stick is run through the rainbow sheen and if it breaks apart it is iron bacteria, if it quickly reforms and clings to the stick, it is likely to be oil.
Run-off from roads, drains and gutters lead to poor waterway quality, which can be harmful to fish and wildlife. Mobile cleaning and trade businesses can help stop pollutants like detergents, oils and pesticides entering our stormwater system.
This information will help you if you operate:
- pet hydro bath or mobile dog washing units
- car washing
- carpet cleaning
- steam and high-pressure cleaning
- trades
- brick and paver cutting
- aggregate driveway laying
- concrete laying
- roof cleaning or recoating.
Ways your business can help.
- Where wastewater contains only soil and organic matter (no oil or chemicals) it is ok to direct it into a garden or grassed area.
- Wastewater with any oil or chemicals in it must be collected by a waste company. For fixed businesses (not mobile), you must get a Trade Waste permit to dispose of water containing oil or chemicals down the sewer.
- Use sandbags or a portable bund to stop wastewater from entering drains.
- Sweep up all waste instead of hosing it down.
- Don’t use detergents, oils, pesticides or chemicals near drains, gutters and waterways.
- Work on a grassed or gravelled area away from drains, roadside gutters and waterways.
- Use a bucket to collect wastewater so you can easily re-use it or throw it away.
- Store all detergents, solvents, oils or any other chemicals in a secure area.
- Collect all waste and use a licensed disposal facility.
- Clean up spills or leaks using dry absorbent materials such as kitty litter, rags or a bund.
- Use as little water as possible or use trigger hoses.
- Make sure all staff know not to pollute the environment.
The law
Under the Environmental Protection Act 1994, allowing polluted wastewater to enter stormwater drains and roadside gutters and waterways is an offence and may attract a fine to the value of 15 penalty units (individual) or 75 penalty units (corporation). See Fines for more information about penalty units.
Remember
Stormwater is not treated before entering our local creeks, rivers and waterways. Everyone has a responsibility to keep our waterways clean and healthy.
Wastewater from roof cleaning can run directly into our creeks, rivers and waterways.
Stormwater pollution from roof cleaning
Roof and gutter downpipes connect directly to roadside gutters, stormwater drains and into our waterways. This means wastewater run-off from roof cleaning ends up in our creeks, rivers and the ocean. Pollutants, like oxides, algae, paint flakes, concrete and sediment can kill seagrass, aquatic plants and marine life. By taking some simple steps when cleaning and restoring roofs, you can help protect our waterways.
The Law
Allowing polluted wastewater to enter stormwater drains, roadside gutters or waterways is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 and may attract a fine. Repeat offenders may be prosecuted.
Also, using water blasters or high-pressure cleaners on asbestos cement roofing or other asbestos containing material is illegal. Cleaning a fibro roof with a high-pressure water blaster destroys the roof surface, causing cement debris and asbestos to spray into the air, resulting in widespread asbestos contamination. This type of asbestos clean-up cost can be significant.
Protecting the environment
We all must work together to keep waterways clean and must make sure only clean water enters out stormwater systems. Below are some steps that you could take when cleaning a roof:
- disconnect downpipes and redirect wastewater to the garden, or to a holding tank for disposal by a licensed liquid waste disposal contractor
- if disconnecting downpipes is not possible, block the downpipe and feed the wastewater onto lawns or gardens
- drill a hole in the gutter or downpipe, block the downpipe (below the hole) and divert water to garden beds. When complete, the hole can be plugged with a grommet
- use sandbags or a portable bund to contain water in the roadside gutter to protect stormwater drains from accidentals spills and runoff.
Helpful tips
- Always keep a spill response kit, including a shovel, broom and rags, to clean-up nearby. Do not wash or hose waste into the stormwater drain.
- Keep cleaning times to a minimum.
- Be aware that wastewater drainage pipes from some houses may drain directly into a nearby waterway or subsurface stormwater pipe (not to a roadside gutter). In this case, downpipes must be disconnected, and the water drained to a soakage area, like the garden or lawn.
- If wastewater does accidently drain to the stormwater gutter, remove all captured wastewater as soon as possible using a vacuum or bilge pump and direct to lawns or gardens, making sure no wastewater flows into the stormwater drain.
- Sandbags and portable bunds in the roadside gutter will capture accidental spills and runoff. They are not designed to hold wastewater from a full roof clean.
- For business owners, please ensure all of your staff are aware of these requirements.
We are only able to act on certain complaints and share the responsibility of water pollution issues with other government bodies.
Please refer to the information below which outlines who investigates different water pollution types.
Acid sulphate soils
On residential land and some commercial land - contact us for further clarification.
Dewatering
On residential land and some commercial land - contact us for further clarification.
Emergency response
Fish kill
Release of contaminants
- Rubbish, cement, oil, paint etc. - contact us for further clarification.
- Bilge water (boat) - contact your local office of Maritime Safety Queensland.
- Soil and sediment from a building or development site – contact us for further clarification. In addition to responsibilities under the Environmental Protection Act 1994, property developers and contractors are subject to requirements of the Planning Act 2016. They may have conditions on their approval about sediment and erosion control.
- Soil and sediment from a State Government or Council development site – contact the Department of Environment and Science.