Case Study: Environmental Audit

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Environmental Audit

PROPOSED MAJOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT,
KWINANA, Western Australia

Currently vacant industrial land in Kwinana is earmarked for the development of a clean-coal-fired power station.  A voluntary Contaminated Site Audit (CSA) is being undertaken on behalf of the site owner in order to obtain a site classification from the Department of Environmental Regulation (DER).

The 76 ha site has historically been used for the disposal of petroleum refinery chemical
wastes, including:

• Landfarming of oily wastes
• Asbestos burial
• Tetraethyl lead (TEL) sludge
• Pyrophoric scale
• Calcium fluoride
• Arsenic sludge
• Nickel & chrome catalyst
• General building rubble.

Previous remedial works have not been entirely successful, and contaminants remain on site above applicable guidelines for industrial development.

Shallow groundwater is also impacted by:

• Hydrocarbons from on-site waste disposal
• Metals, including arsenic and copper from waste disposal
• Hydrocarbons from on-site migration
• An organo-chlorine plume from on-site migration.

The audit has reviewed the stage 1 Preliminary Site Investigation (PSI) and stage 2 Detailed Site Investigation (DSI).  A Site Management Plan is currently being prepared as stage 3 to undertake necessary remedial works to allow the site to be safely developed for intended industrial purposes.

Stuart Jeffries
Hydrosolutions Pty Ltd

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Audit 14

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Case Study: Contaminated Land

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GLOBAL OLIVINE (WA) LTD

Public Environmental Review (PER), Redevelopment of contaminated land & groundwater at former Petrochemical Industries Limited (PICL) site, Kwinana, Western Australia.

An initial review of the contamination status of the former Petrochemical Industries Ltd (PICL) site in Kwinana was undertaken.  Global Olivine proposed to develop a Waste-to-Energy and Water plant on the site.

The site was greendfield prior to 1957, when it was acquired by BP Petroleum as part of the Kwinana
refinery development. Approximately 1/3rd of the site was used for refinery waste disposal operations prior to substantial remedial works in 1988.

The land was purchased by PICL in 1987, although no development took place before it’s subsequent purchase by LandCorp in 1993.  A Public Environmental Review (PER) was prepared in support of the proposed site re-development by Global Olivine.

Specific aspects included et al Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA’s) to the Land, Water and Marine environments.

Stuart Jeffries
Hydrosolutions Pty Ltd

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Contam8

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Case Study: Contaminated Sites

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COMMONWEALTH DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

Environmental Restoration Plan, Naval Communication Station Harold E Holt, Exmouth, Northwest Cape, Western Australia.

An Environmental Restoration Plan was prepared for the Department of Defence for NCS Harold E Holt. The site was built in 1966 by the United States Navy.  In 1999 it reverted to the Australian Commonwealth.  An initial desk study identified potential environmental issues associated with base operations, historical
waste disposal, fuel and chemical storage and applications.

A comprehensive site investigation program was developed, comprising groundwater monitoring within the superficial and karst limestone aquifers, soil investigation bores and trial pits over three separate areas extending over 15km2.  A landfill investigation comprised a geophysical magnetic survey and trial pits, landfill gas and groundwater monitoring.  Gazetted asbestos disposal sites were examined to determine the extent, demarcation and capping provisions.

The restoration plan allowed for the excavation and removal of contaminated soils above applicable environmental guidelines for disposal within a purpose built Class IV landfill disposal facility, the first to be designed and built in Western Australia.  Part of the remedial strategy included bio-remedial treatment of hydrocarbon contaminated soils in a specially built treatment cell, with restoration of treated soils back to the land where possible.  Laboratory bioremediation trials were run to access the treatability.

The plan included restoration of excavation borrow pits located throughout the base through re-soiling and re-seeding with native flora species.  A digital terrain model was used to assess the visual impact of the restoration from adjacent areas.

A groundwater risk assessment was undertaken to determine the level of risk to the environment from remaining residual contaminants, including hydrocarbons and organo-chlorine pesticides.  The risk assessment specifically examined apparent risk to the relict stygofauna community endemic to the karst limestone aquifer beneath the base, and the risk posed by failure of the landfill containment.

Technical papers were submitted on aspects of the restoration plan to the 1997 Engineering Excellence Awards, WA and the 4th National Hazardous and Solid Waste Convention in Brisbane, April 1998.

Stuart Jeffries
Hydrosolutions Pty Ltd

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Contam9

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Case Study: Hydrogeology

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ENGLISH NATURE
Causes of water recession at Brown Moss Wetland Site of Special Scientifc Interest (SSSI), Shropshire, England

A hydrological & hydrogeological appraisal of the causes of water recession at an ecologically sensitive wetland within Shropshire, England was undertaken, over potential concerns regarding local development impacts.

The Brown Moss ecosystem comprises a localised shallow perched groundwater aquifer, supporting the ephemeral wetland areas, formed within interbedded sand and clay sequenec of glacial origin.  Water outflow occurs as leakage through underlying clay into deeper sandy units.

Information regarding local road and infrastructure development was obtained, although none were concluded to have any significant impact on water levels.

Climatic data over the preceding 33 years was used to develop synthetic hydrographs.  These indicated that average effective rainfall was insufficient to maintain former water levels within the moss. This may also have been exacerbated by continued dredging activities within the wetlands.

Recommendations were made for ongoing monitoring, further investigation using geophysical techniques and bore construction, to evaluate the use of compensation groundwater from deeper aquifers, including hydrochemical and water balance studies.

Stuart Jeffries
Hydrosolutions Pty Ltd

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Hydro20

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Case Study: Hydrogeology

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NATIONAL RIVERS AUTHORITY UK (now ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY):
National Groundwater Protection Policy- Determination of Groundwater Protection Zones, 750 Public Water Supply sources, throughout England and Wales.

Groundwater protection zones (GPZ’s) were developed for 750 public water supply groundwater sources as
part of the National Groundwater Protection Policy for England & Wales.  A consistent methodology was
developed for each source.  A data request proforma was used to obtain hydrogeological data from regional water  authorities.  The quality of data was evaluated and a decision made on the most appropriate method to delineate the GPZs. Like sources/locations were grouped where possible.

Analytical methods were used initially to provide a simple check on the catchment & time of travel zones
using recharge estimates. The analytical result was adopted for sources with poor data quality.  GPZ for
sources with intermediate data quality were determined using the USEPA computerised analytical model
WHPA (“Well Head Protection Area”) using backward particle back-tracking methods.

Sources with ‘good’ data were analysed using the numerical finite difference model FLOWPATH (WHI).  A hydrogeological conceptual model was developed & agreed, which was represented as a numerical flow domain.  The following isochrone & catchment zones were defined:

• The 50-day (inner) protection zone (biological  & sanitary protection)
• The 400-day (outer) protection zone (response zone in the event of a contaminant release to the aquifer
• Total catchment zone: Steady state based on recharge estimates.

A standardised report was produced for each group of sources, including:

• All data & evaluations
• Analytical determinations
• Numerical model & source codes/files
• Time of travel & total catchment maps as Geographical Information System (GIS) files

Stuart Jeffries
Hydrosolutions Pty Ltd

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Hydro19

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Case Study: Environmental Audit

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Contaminated Site Audit, Proposed Residential Redevelopment, City of Belmont, Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia

Land previously used for residential purposes and limited commercial operations has been cleared, and is proposed for High rise residential redevelopment.

A Contaminated Site Audit (CSA) was undertaken on behalf of the proponent to support an application for rezoning at an increased residential density.

Former houses have been demolished.  Investigation works have identified the presence of  organo-chlorine/phosphate (OCP) pesticides in soils around the former housing pads above applicable guidelines for  residential development.

The demolition and removal of boundary fences has resulted in isolated occurrences of asbestos on the soil surface. Shallow groundwater adjacen to the Swan River has been impacted by OCPs above applicable guidelines for  irrigation and the marine environment, applicable to the adjacent estuarine River Swan.

Current investigations will determine the extent of this impact.

A stage 3 Site Management Plan is currently being formulated for the removal of surface impacted soils and replacement with clean fill, including removal of isolated asbestos.

Stuart Jeffries
Hydrosolutions Pty Ltd

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Audit 13

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Case Study: Hydrogeology

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PIONEER CONCRETE
Mineral landbank development with low-level restoration, Lincolnshire, England

Options to extract aggregate and restore the site were reviewed for a sand and gravel lens above liassic clay.

No constraints on dewatering by conventional means were identified.  The dewatering scheme included the recirculation of abstracted water via two settlement ponds, to permit mixing and the regulation of  groundwater quality.

Options for the low-level restoration of the site were examined.  The use of in-situ materials was identified to be the most cost-effective option compared to construction of a bentonite slurry wall as a permanent groundwater exclusion structure.  Long-term incidental rainfall and likely seepage rates were identified using numerical modelling. An assessment of settlement potential due to dewatering was also undetraken

Recommendations were made for internal and external drainage structures to be incoporated into the design.

A geotechnical appraisal of the suitability of on-site clays to form the exclusion structure was undertaken.

Stuart Jeffries
Hydrosolutions Pty Ltd

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Hydro18

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