13 November 2017
Council is now discharging effluent treated to standard to the Tweed estuary but advises that the current alert not to swim, canoe, water ski, jet ski or fish in parts of Terranora Broadwater and Cobaki Broadwater and Terranora Creek down to Boyds Bay Bridge remains in place.
Testing of the effluent discharge at the weekend confirmed that the levels of thermotolerant (faecal) coliforms in the discharge again were within normal range but the alert will remain in place for at least another 24 hours.
“Our staff have worked throughout the weekend to quickly contain this situation,” said Director Engineering David Oxenham.
“Currently we are bypassing the final effluent lagoon at the Banora Point Wastewater Treatment Plant and it may take several days before the plant is back to normal operation.”
Last week a large volume of raw wastewater bypassed from the inlet works of the plant and went direct to the lagoon without being treated. While it was diluted with the treated wastewater in the lagoon, a portion of this diluted wastewater was discharged into the Terranora Inlet at the licensed discharge point at the Navy Base on Dry Dock Road.
“The risk to human and aquatic health within the estuary is very low but we are maintaining the alert for another 24 hours to allow further improvement,” said Mr Oxenham.