23.1Whittam Transport Request for Financial Assistance

Council Minutes 20th July 2009

23.1Whittam Transport Request For Financial Assistance

File Ref:9.24.1

Officer (full name):Angela Sorger

From:Lorene Whittam

Officers Consulted (full name):Kim Vivian – GMH&CD,

Adrian Peachy - CEDTL

REPORT

Correspondence was received from Mrs Lorene Whittam of Whittam’s Transport requesting reimbursement from Council for the purchase and installation of Trade Waste equipment to prevent prohibited discharges to CWMS.

Mrs Whittam was audited by Council in regard to trade waste discharge in January 2008. An application form was requested to be completed to identify the activities carried out by Whittam Transport to ascertain the level of trade waste generated and the pre-treatment required.

Mrs Whittam failed to report truck washing as one of the activities undertaken and when asked the question Mrs Whittam said “they do not wash trucks only service them. This is the only activity listed on the application form which was signed by Mrs Whittam.

Background

• 24/08/05 - CWMS jetting of drain
• 09/09/05 - oil and grease pumped by Stantons, Whittams alerted by Adrian Peachy of prohibited substances in drains
• Feb 2008 - Environmental Health Officer was requested to attend a drain blockage at Strath

• 02/06/08 - Desludge STEDS Gravity Main – Sandergrove Road
• 16/12/08 - Desludge STEDS Gravity Main – sample taken
• 09/01/2009 - laboratory results received – Prohibited substances present
• 11/02/2009 - Environmental Health Officer second audit.
• 16/02/2009 - Meeting John Coombe & Mrs Whittam
• 24/02/2009 - Smoke testing - identified water ingress to CWMS
• 10/03/2009 - Council staff established timeline for compliance
• 20/03/2009 - Council staff met with trade waste contractor
• 9/04/2009 - Council staff met with Ashley Whittam re: wash bay alteration
• 10/06/2009 - Trade Waste installation complete

Cont:

23.1Whittam Transport Request For Financial Assistance

Continued:

Emails, phone calls and letters have been sent as well as Council staff visiting the site on numerous occasions to achieve compliance and set up the truck wash with the correct equipment.

Due to the financial burden on Whittams, Environmental Health have waived the requirement for correct overhang for this wash facility of 1:3m ratio, providing when washing the trucks they are contained within the shed. Bunding has been requested but Environmental Health is also willing to negotiate the timing of the installation of this item.

The following points answer the concerns that are contained within the correspondence from Mrs Whittam:

• Training of staff would not have fixed this problem, the pre-treatment equipment is necessary to separate and clean the Waste Water streams. Information on pollutants and water minimisation has been discussed with the owners.
• The pits (2) are necessary to catch the mud and road pollutants.
• The excess water or the hydraulic load that was entering the system was due to the rainwater overflow into the wash system which enters CWMS.
• The overhang is to prevent stormwater ingress into the system
• Bunding is to prevent pollutants draining away from the wash bay

Whittams Transport operates 15 trucks, all of which are washed upon return to the depot, this accounts for the substantial amount of Trade Waste entering the CWMS.

With regard to the money already paid to their contractor, this was for the installation of the pump out tank and pit.

Council’s officers did recommend not using the wash bay until pre-treatment equipment could be installed, this advice was declined resulting in the pit requiring a further pump out prior to oil plate separator installation and commissioning.

Mrs Whittam had been requested by Council to install pre-treatment equipment as the activities undertaken at Whittam Transport generate a Trade Waste and are of a commercial nature.

The equipment was recommended by the contractor and is what is required under SA Water guidelines for Trade Waste and is also contained within Council’s Trade Waste policy.

Cont.

ITEM 23.1Whittam Transport Request For Financial Assistance

Continued:

A conservative estimate of the resources expended by Council to date with this issue are as follows:

ACS09133Moved Cr Featherston seconded Cr Oliverthat Council do not reimburse Whittams Transport for the installation and purchase of Trade Waste equipment.

CARRIED