Liam McNally
Moorabool council has moved to investigate “large amounts of sediment” getting into the Werribee River from Bacchus Marsh construction developments.
As reported by Star Weekly, The Bacchus Marsh Platypus Alliance and scientists from Bio2Lab have been using sensors to measure water turbidity (cloudiness caused by fine sediment) along the river, which showed turbidity at one sensor above the EPA pollution threshold on 95 per cent of the 117 days measured.
Moorabool councillor Moira Berry moved a motion at a council meeting on Tuesday, February 1 to investigate the large amounts of sediment, and the effectiveness of sediment barriers that are in place to prevent sediment from flowing into the storm water pipes.
Cr Berry said she had viewed the “excessive” amount of sediment entering the river.
“There was like an island appearing in the Werribee river, it is actually covering the food that the wildlife in the river feed on, particularly the platypus,” she said.
“The barriers that we viewed on the day that Cr Dudzik and myself were there were partly falling down, sediment was getting under them hence why the sediment was going down the storm water pipes into the river.”
A report to the council meeting said the sediment is running from the storm water pipes that run from the new Stonehill Development area into the Werribee River at the rear of 270 Werribee Vale Road, Bacchus Marsh, and that the sediment is building up in the river and destroying vegetation and food for wildlife.
It said the sediment barriers that run alongside Werribee Vale Road, opposite the farmhouse at 270 are falling over, lifted in spots and allowing sediment to protrude under the barrier which allows sediment to then flow into the storm water pipes.
The motion to investigate the sediment pollution and effectiveness of barriers was moved unanimously by council, and mayor Rod Ward commended Bacchus Marsh Platypus ALliance and president Jodie Valpied for their work along the river.
Stonehill developers RPM Group were contacted for comment.
