Download media release - Hunter Water

MEDIA RELEASE
22 January 2015
EPA INVESTIGATION INTO DISCHARGE OF TREATED FLOW BACK
WATER INTO HUNTER WATER SEWER NETWORK
Hunter Water has been informed by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) that it has
determined that neither AGL nor Transpacific have breached their environment protection licence
conditions when treated flow back water was discharged to the local sewer network.
Hunter Water’s concern was and remains, Transpacific’s breach of its trade wastewater agreement;
a contract that sits outside the authority of the EPA. This agreement sets out conditions for the
permissible discharging of treated liquid waste and can only be enforced by Hunter Water.
The EPA has no authority to enforce a trade wastewater agreement, and so has not investigated
whether any breach of this agreement has occurred.
Hunter Water has issued Transpacific with a default notice citing 4 breaches of its trade wastewater
agreement. These include but are not restricted to, Transpacific’s admission that it discharged
treated flow-back water to Hunter Water’s sewer network.
Hunter Water’s refusal to accept flow-back water from the AGL site was based on the chemicals
AGL nominated as contained in its ground water. Before making its decision, Hunter Water
requested in writing additional information from AGL, however this information was not forthcoming.
Attached to this statement is a copy of correspondence with AGL dated February 2014. Hunter Water
maintains its position was clear in that it would not accept wastewater from AGL’s coal seam gas
mine at Gloucester. It should be noted that flow-back water, whether treated or untreated, is still
classified as “wastewater”, hence Hunter Water’s inclusion of the below sentence:
“Hunter Water will not be able to accept AGL’s wastewater from hydraulic stimulation activities.”
Hunter Water has met with Transpacific management as part of its continuing investigation into the
breach of its trade wastewater agreement.
Transpacific has provided an assurance in writing that it will neither discharge treated flow-back
water to the sewer network nor accept liquid waste sourced from outside Hunter Water’s area of
operations, without the written approval of Hunter Water.
Further, Transpacific has agreed to provide results of samples of the flow-back water, pre and post
treatment, as part of its claim that it is safe to discharge to the sewer network. This information is
expected by the end of the week.
Hunter Water accepts these commitments from Transpacific however is awaiting the sample results
before concluding its investigation.
Jeremy Bath | 0419 267 789 | [email protected]