Tests find tip creeks clean

Gosford Council has received a report of water quality monitoring of the creeks draining Woy Woy tip for July.

Council's director of development and environment, Mr John Murray, said: "The results confirmed the effectiveness of the controls installed at the landfill" to prevent polluting leachate entering the creek system.

The tests were carried out in July by JH and ES Laxton Environmental Consultants of St Ives.

The water quality sample was taken at a point on Tip Creek.

The report said the creek at that point had a wide fringe of reeds growing out into deep water.

The sample was collected from within the outer one-third of the reed bed.

The consultants said: "Water draining down Patonga Creek continued to be unaffected by any discharges from Woy Woy tip as shown by its relatively low conductivity and low pH.

"The pond at the southern end of the tip was almost empty on the day sampled.

"The results for Tip Creek were satisfactory, although dissolved oxygen levels were slightly less than 50 per cent of saturation at the time of sampling, and the water was only slightly turbid with clay washed from the surface and the tip.

"Total nitrogen concentrations in Tip Creek (0.814 mg-N/L) were higher than that of upper Patonga Creek (0.312 mg-N/L).

"Organic-N levels accounted for most of the difference.

"Total phosphorus levels in Tip Creek were low," the consultants said.

September 18