Authority finds groundwater contamination

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has found groundwater contamination below a service station in Memorial Ave, Woy Woy, near Blackwall Mountain.

The authority has issued a notice that land and groundwater below the service station is contaminated.

It has declared the site, including a portion of the adjoining council footpath and nature strip a remediation site under section 21 of the Contaminated Land Management Act.

The EPA had found that groundwater beneath the site was "contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons so as to present a significant risk of harm to human health and the environment."

According to the EPA, the groundwater at the site is contaminated with "separate phase petroleum hydrocarbons", including benzene, a human carcinogen.

An EPA report in the NSW Government Gazette last Friday, August 5, stated that "the contaminated groundwater has migrated beyond the boundary of the service station site, and, if left unchecked, may continue to flow towards residential areas nearby and ultimately Brisbane Water".

According to the report, "the contamination has degraded the quality of the groundwater and may adversely affect beneficial uses of the groundwater, which is used locally for domestic purposes".

The report also advised that there was also a risk that workers may accidentally be exposed to contamination via inhalation of volatile hydrocarbon vapours in future excavation works and that "volatile hydrocarbon vapours may also accumulate in existing service lines and pits at potentially explosive concentrations".

According to EPA director of contaminated sites, Ms Carolyn Strange, the owner of the service station intends to remediate the site under a voluntary remediation agreement with the EPA.

The public may make written submissions on whether the EPA should order remediation or on any other site-specific matter.

Submissions should be sent to the Director Contaminated Sites, Department of Environment and Conservation, PO Box A290, Sydney South NSW 1232 or to fax (02) 9995 5930 by September 2.

The submissions will be considered and a decision will be made about whether remediation will be required.

Currently, Access Energy leases the site from Bowen National.

Caltex is the parent company of Access Energy.

At the time of printing, the owners of the site were unavailable for comment.

Lyle Stone, August 5 NSW Government Gazette, August 5