DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 434/09
Thursday, 17 December 2009
RESULTS OF WARRILL CREEK WATER QUALITY REPORT
Results of Defence testing confirm the majority of the recently discovered
contamination at RAAF Base Amberley is contained within Defence land and limited
to only a very small portion of Warrill Creek.
“Following testing by the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource
Management (DERM), Defence can confirm there is no evidence of heavy metal
contamination in the Bremer River or in land irrigated with water drawn from the
immediate vicinity of the Amberley Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP),” announced
Air Commodore Chris Sawade, Senior ADF Officer, RAAF Base Amberley.
“Although these results meant the risk to the community and the environment
downstream is generally considered low, Defence is implementing a range of actions
to protect the waterways and prevent further contamination.
“Defence will undertake improvements to the Amberley sewage treatment plant to
ensure it is working at maximum efficiency to treat waste.
“The plant will continue to be monitored along with the water being discharged and
the water up and down stream on a monthly basis until at least June 2010,” Air
Commodore Sawade said.
Defence initiated a review of test results that indicated heavy metals and other
contaminants may be entering Warrill Creek from RAAF Base Amberley. Following
the discovery of the contamination in late August, Defence immediately alerted
DERM and advised the public through the media. Defence conducted further testing
to verify its original results, the degree of contamination and its source and submitted
its findings to DERM.
The testing also revealed nickel and pore water metals found in the sediment both
above and below the discharge point. This has resulted in some uncertainty about the
level of contribution of the sewage treatment plant output for some of the
contamination results found in Warrill Creek.
DERM has advised Defence that the information contained in the environmental
report satisfactorily addresses the requirements of the DERM Environmental
Evaluation Notice issued to Defence on 23 September 2009.
Long term monitoring will assist Defence in the assessment of any future
management actions required and any further improvements to the STP. Defence will
investigate a range of options to improve waste water management at Amberley to
reduce the risk of contamination from re-occurring.
DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
Defence remains committed to keeping the local community informed and will hold a
public meeting at 6pm, today, Thursday 17 December 2009, at RAAF Base
Amberley, to discuss the findings and to give members of the public the opportunity
to ask questions.
A copy of Defence’s response to DERM is available on the Defence website at:
A copy of the Warrill Creek Water Quality Report is available at:
Media contact:
Paul Lineham, Defence Public Affairs: 07 3233 4210 or 0408 972 329
Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
