Unley Water Contamination

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation questions about TCE contamination.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: On 1 May 2017, residents of 300 Unley properties were advised via a letter from the Environment Protection Authority that they should not use bore water due to the potential that this groundwater has been contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE). TCE has been linked to a range of health risks, including cancer, and was behind the evacuation of homes in Clovelly Park back in 2015.

According to the EPA, they will now drill 22 temporary small bores to install a Waterloo test capsule for about 10 days in order to measure the amount of TCE vapour. My questions to the minister are:

1. If the Waterloo test capsules only take 10 days to register the amount of TCE vapour, why have the residents been told they will not know the results until July?

2. Are there any other sites in Adelaide where residents will soon be advised of a groundwater contamination issue?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:22): I thank the honourable Leader of the Opposition for his very important questions. The Environment Protection Authority has commenced environment assessment work in the form of soil vapour sampling in the area bounded by Charles Lane and Mary Street, Unley, I am advised. The assessment work is aimed at understanding the impacts of historical industrial practices that are known to affect groundwater and whether additional assessment work is required to understand the extent of any contamination that might exist.

Groundwater in this area is believed to have been impacted by past land uses, including refrigeration manufacturing, furniture manufacturing, cabinet-making, bootmaking and a drapery. The EPA holds a number of site contamination assessment reports for several sites between Charles Lane and Mary Street, Unley. However, the information is incomplete and the EPA has identified a number of data gaps in relation to the potential for soil vapour contamination.

The work will be undertaken on road verges and on public land, and the results will be used to inform a computer model that predicts indoor air concentrations. The EPA has written to all residents, I am advised, within the assessment area to advise them of the work. Residents were also reminded that bore water in the area should not be used for any purpose.

I am also advised that the EPA is holding a community information evening in Unley between the hours of 6pm and 9pm; I believe that is happening this evening at the Unley Community Centre for members of the community to drop in and speak with EPA staff. It is intended that data from the assessment work will be provided by the site contamination consultant to the EPA by July 2017. Following receipt, the EPA will again write to residents within the assessment area to advise them of the results.