Page 3212 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 18 October 2022
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Molonglo River—sewage
MS LAWDER: My question is to the Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction. Recently sewage water from the Lower Molonglo wastewater treatment plant spilled into the Molonglo River following heavy rain. Minister, what is the design capacity of the sewage treatment plant and was it working to capacity at the time.
MR RATTENBURY: I will have to take the very specific questions on notice. What I can tell Ms Lawder and colleagues in the chamber, and this is all available on Icon’s public website, is that during the recent heavy rain incidents there was a significantly increased flow into the sewerage system and this did lead to the discharge of partially treated and settled effluent into the Molonglo River. The majority of the effluent discharged from the plant continues to be fully treated and disinfected. Stormwater from heavy rain does dilute effluent received at the plant and it does increase the river height and flows. The proportion of partially treated effluent released into the river system represents less than one per cent of the flow of the Murrumbidgee River at the time. That is the broad context.
I can also let members know that various notifications were made to the ACT and New South Wales environment protection authorities, ACT Health and NSW Health, as well as nearby residents, particularly those downstream. This does not impact the ACT’s water supply because our water is all drawn from upstream of that point. Clearly, for residents between here and the Burrinjuck Dam there are issues of health, and they were given advice not to draw water from the river during those times. On the specifics of capacity, I will take that on notice and provide Ms Lawder with it in due course.
MS LAWDER: Minister, did Icon treat to maximum capacity before overflowing occurred or was some equipment offline?
MR RATTENBURY: I have not been advised of any equipment being offline Madam Speaker. I will check and also provide that to Ms Lawder on notice.
MR MILLIGAN: What is the volume of extra sewer flow during wet weather and is this due to stormwater ingress?
MR RATTENBURY: I am sure there is a very detailed answer in litres, which I will provide to Mr Milligan on notice.
Motor vehicles—registration
MR COCKS: My question is to the Minister for Transport and City Services. Minister, in 2021 the ACT top selling car was the Toyota RAV4. To register and put compulsory third-party insurance on this car in the ACT costs approximately $250 a year more than in either New South Wales or Victoria. Minister, why is this cost higher in the ACT, a city-state, than in other jurisdictions?
MR STEEL: I thank the member for his question. The recent reforms that we have put in place, as a government, in relation to the motor accident injuries insurance
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