South East Queensland

The table below summarises the total discharge from wastewater to the connected surface water store of the South East Queensland (SEQ) region.

The inclusion of private industrial and commercial wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharge in addition to urban WWTP discharge in this line item means that the volumes reported cannot all be attributed as decreases from the water distribution store, although they are increases to the connected surface water store. The actual water distribution store decreases from WWTP discharge to the connected surface water store may be over-represented. This does not have a material impact on the overall water accounting statements.

Data source

Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM), licensed discharge data stored and managed in the DERM Point Source Database.

Data provider

DERM.

Method

The volume of treated wastewater discharged to surface water in the 2009–10 reporting period was obtained from the DERM Point Source Database for WWTPs located within the three water resource plan (WRP) areas.

Uncertainty

Derived from measured data. DERM reliability and accuracy rating is A2 (see glossary).

Approximations,  assumptions, caveats and limitations

DERM was not able to provide a breakdown of WWTP discharges included in this item due to potential privacy issues for discharge licence holders. The proportion of this discharge that is from urban WWTPs managed by urban utilities and the proportion from private industrial and commercial WWTPs is unknown. This will, however, be further investigated for presentation in future years.

The data in the Point Source Database has been measured and reported by holders of discharge licences.

DERM has accepted these measured discharge values in good faith.

A number of estuarine WWTP discharges have been included in this line item as they could not be differentiated from the other WWTPs.