Forums > Kitesurfing Queensland

Kiting in S***y Moreton Bay -

Reply
Created by joefish > 9 months ago, 17 Feb 2011
joefish
QLD, 10 posts
17 Feb 2011 11:20AM
Thumbs Up

If it seems like the weather has been s**t for a long long time? well guess what? so has the water.
This article shows that raw sewerage has been pumped into Moreton Bay from before the floods, and its still happening.
See link
www.couriermail.com.au/nocookies?a=A.flavipes

What to do ?
Complain to your local state member about the lack of regular water quality testing, and the poor Gov.Management of Moreton Bay.
Water testing results need to be publicised.
The Gov. will only act on complaints and they obviously don't give a s**t about the bay.
Its the only way that the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) can catch Polluters out.
They currently have a nice cosy arrangement where the Gov. agency is polluting and the so called EPA says no tests = no pollution so therefore every thing is OK?



Joefish

CheeseBurger
QLD, 31 posts
17 Feb 2011 11:53AM
Thumbs Up

That article mentions nothing of it being pumped, just that their is most likely a leak somewhere along the lines. The main probably got cracked from the extra pressure during the floods (not to mention alot of Brisbane Sewage mains around the toowong area are over 70 years old).

I wouldnt go in that section of the river but I would think that with the large volume of Morton Bay that risk would be minimal going for a swim. The salt of the ocean tends to disinfect reasonably well not to mention the amount of dilution that is occuring in the bay given the amount of time that has passed since the flooding.

joefish
QLD, 10 posts
17 Feb 2011 12:12PM
Thumbs Up

Glad you feel that way "Cheeseburger" contact your local member and let him know its OK for them to keep on polluting and let the salt water fix it.
I've also been told by the EPA Oxley plant are currently pumping raw sewerage into the creek and will continue for the next 10-12 weeks.I don't know about Cabbage tree creek plant is having problems but I would guess thats why Sandgate beach has been closed.

Paradox
QLD, 1321 posts
17 Feb 2011 2:34PM
Thumbs Up

Joe, seriously?

Do you have any deeper understanding of the problem apart from the fact it must be a government conspiracy?

We have had a major flood event in Brisbane. Seach the news archives if you missed it. The flood/rain event actually started in Brisbane a good 2 weeks before the major flood levels were recorded in the Brisbane River catchment.

Sewerage treatment plants are always built in low lying areas near water courses. (let me know if you need an explanation as to why this is). The treatment plants and the infrastructure that connects them were very hard hit and are not fully functional yet, and won't be for at least another 6 weeks whilst they are repaired.

I know all this because I hear adds on the radio and read them in the paper every day, multiple times. The adds also warn us to avoid rivers and creeks because they could be contaminated....

I agree perhaps regular monitoring should be undertaken in the river, but there are a lot of erronous and ill-informed statements in your post. Also I am unsure I would trust a single sample taken and tested by a newspaper. They are not necessarily the most skilled and impartial testing "agency" I can think of.


CheeseBurger
QLD, 31 posts
17 Feb 2011 3:53PM
Thumbs Up

You're making out Joefish that its intentional "pumping" into the water courses. Its the overflow which plants are designed to have during a large rainfall event combined with potentially leaking pipes.

The public have been warned of the health issues all along though it is not as great as you would think for a normal adult to be out in the bay. I wouldnt wash your babies in it or go for a swim after major surgery, but the few germs you would actually find in the sample of bay water (not creek water as that will be worse) would very very very very very unlikely be harmful to you.

You can complain to your member all you want but the EPA allows dumping of sewage in the even of 50 year storm. Do you expect your local member to change the current design guidelines to make plants deal with these extreme events?

jas73
QLD, 796 posts
17 Feb 2011 6:52PM
Thumbs Up

Yes joefish it will sort itself out in time. I took my four year old daughter swimming at Scabouough over the weekend as i dont see any threat of us getting sick from this. as already said the levels will be higher up in creeks and closer to the source but they have to put it somewhere after the amount of rain we had. Im not sure if you have any idea of the pollutants that were allowed to be put into the river back in the days of mayor Atkinson but that was 100 times worse than it is now and a contributing factor of why bramble bay is the way it is.

joefish
QLD, 10 posts
19 Feb 2011 12:43PM
Thumbs Up

Thanks for your comments - interesting.
There is a new article. Which will hopefully mean that, in future, the water will at least be monitored.
Interesting how the councils/Urban utilities say their responsibility ends at the high water mark - its a State government responsibility.
www.couriermail.com.au/nocookies?a=A.flavipes

jas73
QLD, 796 posts
19 Feb 2011 1:07PM
Thumbs Up

How long have you been kiting joefish?

joefish said...

Thanks for your comments - interesting.
There is a new article. Which will hopefully mean that, in future, the water will at least be monitored.
Interesting how the councils/Urban utilities say their responsibility ends at the high water mark - its a State government responsibility.
www.couriermail.com.au/nocookies?a=A.flavipes



joefish
QLD, 10 posts
19 Feb 2011 1:21PM
Thumbs Up

two years

jas73
QLD, 796 posts
19 Feb 2011 2:07PM
Thumbs Up

And you have just discovered Seabreeze?

joefish
QLD, 10 posts
19 Feb 2011 2:20PM
Thumbs Up

No I have known about Seabreeze from the start - but I didn't pay attention to Forums until just recently.
Originally just used it to see if the wind OK to kite and sell gear.

Paradox
QLD, 1321 posts
21 Feb 2011 2:42PM
Thumbs Up

joefish said...


Interesting how the councils/Urban utilities say their responsibility ends at the high water mark - its a State government responsibility.
www.couriermail.com.au/nocookies?a=A.flavipes



Joe, actually they say they have no responsiblity below the high TIDE mark. Which is true, the ocean and tidal rivers are the state governments responsibility. Bligh is deliberately muddying the waters here if you excuse the pun.

If you think about it, no contamination of thsi nature can come from within the sea itself so provided councils monitor thier treatment plant outputs into the river (which they do, very rigerously) then any issues would be picked up very quickly at the source.

In a large flood event when sewerage plants cannot contain the flows, and in many cases are under water, then testing outflows becomes irrelevent. There are so many potential sources of contamination that cannot be controlled you can only assume that the water is contaminated until the plants are brought back on line.

As for regular testing of the lower brisbane river and bay, it is a state responsiblity. Non tidal creeks and inland rivers should be monitored by councils and enforced by the EPA.

I do agree with you that regular monitoring is sensible and should be done by the responsible entity. Most unexplainable contamination would probably come from burst/blocked/leaking pipes, not the plants themselves which operate under strict conditions.

jas73
QLD, 796 posts
21 Feb 2011 3:02PM
Thumbs Up

If you think we have it bad look at Ewan's video of down south after there rain. it's in the general forum.

jas73
QLD, 796 posts
21 Feb 2011 6:12PM
Thumbs Up

Posted 06/02/2011, 6:57 pm
Had a call on Friday, Nudgee beach was officially re-opened. RRU was sent to take all closure signage off. Very few debris around, with water nearly back to normal state. Remaining beaches should follow suit in the next few days.
By Surf Connect. Go Figure?

RPM
WA, 1549 posts
8 Mar 2011 9:35AM
Thumbs Up

he be trollin! trololololololol!!!!



Subscribe
Reply

Forums > Kitesurfing Queensland


"Kiting in S***y Moreton Bay -" started by joefish