The New South Wales Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has approved an application for a one off discharge of waste water produced by the Metgasco coal seam gas operations into the Casino Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) facility.

 

The EPA’s decision on the matter comes after the Authority received confirmation that the NSW Office of Water had undertaken a comprehensive review and issued an approval for the disposal of the CSG water.

 

Acting Chief Environmental Regulator for the NSW EPA, Mark Gifford, said the EPA had been working closely with the Department of Water and other relevant agencies in considering the application, made by the Richmond Valley Council.

 

"The licence variation includes strict volume and quality limits on the produced water permitted to be taken. The EPA is satisfied that the STP can effectively treat the produced water without compromising the environmental performance of the plant," Mr. Gifford said.

"The EPA has also included a special licence condition requiring Council to ensure that monitoring is undertaken and to report to the EPA during the water delivery and treatment process. This will ensure that the EPA can properly regulate the activity". 

 

Mr Gifford reiterated that the approval of the disposal of the water was not a long term solution, but will allow Metgasco to reduce the volume of stored produced water and would significantly reduce the risk of potential overflows while management systems are put into place.

 

"The one-off solution to this issue is a good example of all parties working to achieve a sensible outcome.  The produced water that is transferred will have no adverse affect on the operations of the plant and deliver a good environmental outcome for the community,” Richmond Valley Council General Manger John Walker said.