Emerging contaminants

VicWater is negotiating with EPA on the details of an emerging contaminant sampling initiative planned for later in 2021. DELWP has funded EPA to deliver the water industry Tier 2 Emerging Contaminant Study, which builds on the results of the 2020 VicWater Tier 1 Desktop Risk Assessment and will ensure cross-sector compliance with obligations under incoming operating licence conditions.

The sampling plan has focused attention on how EPA intend to respond to potential adverse findings and is a precursor to other compliance and enforcement challenges under the new environment protection legislation. VicWater is proposing to develop an MoU between the water industry and EPA to provide certainty in relation to how potential findings will be treated, and to ensure a strategic response to findings, rather than the sampling project giving rise to PANs or other ad hoc compliance action.