Two spills involving large volumes of raw sewage will cost Central Highlands Water nearly $16,000 in fines.
The Environment Protection Authority Victoria fined the water authority over spills at Creswick and Buninyong, 10 days apart. EPA regional services director Paul Stacchino said both spills led to high levels of E. coli bacteria in nearby waterways.
The Buninyong spill was in November during upgrade works at a pumping station in Learmonth Street.
“The failure of pipe fittings at the pumping station late at night sent an estimated 72,000 litres of raw sewage down a stormwater drain, into a reed bed, then into the retention stormwater lagoons at the Buninyong Golf Course and into Union Jack Creek,” Mr Stacchino said.
The water corporation pumped 48,000 litres of contaminated water from the reed bed, erected warning signs and monitored the waterways.
The Creswick spill in December involved sewage contamination of about 300,000 litres from the old Creswick wastewater treatment plant.
