Faulty pump causes water pollution

A failed injection pump discharge isolating valve at Macquarie AGL’s Bayswater Power Station has caused water pollution in nearby waterways.

The faulty pump caused sulphuric acid to enter two stormwater drains and subsequently flow to Tinkers Creek, resulting in a penalty notice by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA).

Approximately 6000 litres of sulphuric acid was reported to have entered the stormwater system, which drains to Lake Liddell and provides cooling water for the Bayswater Power Station.

AGL Macquarie notified the EPA of a low pH reading in Tinkers Creek in November 2015.

The EPA issued 2 penalty notices of $15,000 each to Macquarie AGL for breaches of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.

One penalty was for failing to maintain equipment in a proper and efficient manner and the second was for breaching the pH limits prescribed by Environment Protection Licence 779, which authorises operations at the Bayswater Power Station.

EPA Hunter Region Manager, Adam Gilligan, said, “While Macquarie AGL did the right thing by notifying us as soon as they noticed the issue, pollution of waters is taken very seriously by the EPA and is why two fines and official cautions were issued in this instance.”