Councils and water authorities in NSW are required to meet water quality standards set down by the Federal and State Governments.   

Ballina Shire Council has an Urban Water Quality Policy embracing all elements of the urban water cycle. This policy ensures contemporary practices and legislative requirements are applied to all of Council’s urban water quality responsibilities. The elements for managing water quality provide a systematic and risk based approach for assessing and addressing environmental and public health risks.

KEY ISSUES

Public and Environmental Health

• Drinking Water Quality
• Recycled Water Quality
• Effluent Discharge Quality
• Biosolids Management

Legislative Compliance

• Public Health Act 2010
• Protection of the Environment Operations (POEO) Act 1997
• Local Government Act 1993

National Water Quality Management Strategy

Council’s approach to improving water quality outcomes is consistent with the National Water Quality Management Strategy. 

Click here for more information on the National Water Quality Management Strategy

Responsibility for ensuring healthy waterways and protecting water quality in catchments is shared between the community and all levels of government. In recognising the community's environmental values and uses for waterways, the NSW Government and the community have agreed upon Water Quality Objectives for each catchment.  Local councils contribute significantly to these objectives through local environmental plans, development control plans and the assessment of development proposals.

Click here for more information on water quality

Some of Council’s key achievements to date have been:

• Submission of a Recycled Water Management System as part of the approvals process (Section 60 - Local Government Act 1993) for supply of Recycled Water for Dual Reticulation
• Development of Pollution Incident Response Management Plans to comply with the Protection of the Environment Legislation Amendment Act 2011
• Water Quality Data Management Systems, including live water quality trending and reporting
• Water Maintenance Planning Systems
• Water Incident Response and Communication Protocols

Urban Water Quality Policy

The key elements of Ballina Shire Council's Urban Water Quality Policy are summarised below:

Water
Drinking Water
Recycled Water
Wastewater

Legislative Drivers
Public Health Act 2010
Local Government Act 1983
POEO Act 1997

Applicable National Water Quality Management Strategy Documents
Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling
Guidelines for Sewerage Systems
Australian Guidelines for Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting

How are water quality requirements defined?
Drinking Water - Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
Recycled Water - Section 60 Approval (Local Government Act 1993)
Wastewater - POEO Act 1997 - 4 x Environmental Protection Licenses for Wastewater Treatment Plants

Management Framework for Water Quality
Twelve Elements for Managing Water Quality

Peak Council Operational Plans
Drinking Water Management System (DWMS)
Recycled Water Management System (RWMS)
Wastewater Management System (WWMS)