UPDATE: Tests prove spill on Pipeline Beach is non-toxic
Test results have shown that the substance is treated waste water, which is non-toxic and poses no harm to the environment.
BY this morning, Friday, 15 February, Pipeline Beach had been cleaned of all spill, which test results proved is molasses-like, biodegradable and non-toxic, but authorities are still working to locate the exact spot where the effluent leakage is coming from.
The source of the leakage has been narrowed down to 100m of pipeline, which is below the surface of the parking lot, and a camera has been lowered into the pipeline and is currently navigating the leak.
Read the original post: Pipeline Beach closed to public following unconfirmed ‘chemical spill’
Ward 97’s Cllr Andre Beetge explained that yesterday afternoon, Thursday, 14 February authorisation was extended for a TLB to remove what could be as much as 40M2 sand which did not only render the area clean, but helped secure access to the line and find the cause of contamination.
Acacia authorities explained that the spill is not toxic and causes no harm to the environment, but had to be removed due to environmental legislation.
“There is a leak but we’re not sure exactly where from along the pipeline yet,” said Services Director of Acacia, Ewan Alanthwaite. “Samples taken yesterday (Thursday, 14 February) were sent for testing and the results showed that the spill is treated wastewater which is biodegradable, non-toxic and poses no harm to the environment.
Acacia’s pipeline carries this effluent 1,7kms out to sea from Pipeline Beach. This leak is worrying though because while it should be leaking from Acacia’s piping (of which 100m section of the pipeline is underground – under the parking lot of the beach), it was seeping up to the surface of the sand from the stormwater drain. This means that Acacia’s pipeline may be leaking the effluent into the stormwater drain, but this is unconfirmed.”
Check out the clean-up action on Pipeline Beach:
Alanthwaite explained that the sand that had the effluent spilled into it has been removed and the beach cleaned.
“We have stopped pumping effluent so anything that was spilling from the stormwater drain (under the sand) has stopped. We ran checks with the use of a camera in October 2018 along this same underground piping (under the parking lot) and today we are checking the section the same way. This will hopefully tell us exactly where the leak is,” said Alanthwaite.
Cllr Beetge said that the beach is still closed and the public are requested to refrain from flocking to the area so that those responsible for the cleanup are afforded opportunity to complete their task.
Updates are to follow when new information arises.
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