Beverley, Woodville West & Woodville South
The EPA has been assessing groundwater and soil vapour in Beverley for historically used chemicals including trichloroethene (TCE), since 2015.
At the end of October 2017, the EPA received results from the latest round of assessment work in the broader Beverley area.
The results are generally consistent with or lower than the previous risk assessment. This is considered to be as a result of seasonal moisture in the soil. The computer modelling predicts 16 additional properties in the ‘investigation’ range of the Indoor air level response range (TCE) under ‘Fact sheets’ below, and 34 additional properties in the ‘validation’ range in the vicinity of new soil vapour bores.
All other properties in the investigation and intervention ranges have been previously identified and where permission was granted have had site specific testing and / or mitigation work undertaken.
As previously advised, please do not use groundwater (bore water) for any purpose. Mains water and water from rainwater tanks are not affected. Fruit and vegetables are not affected by this issue and are safe to consume provided they are not watered with contaminated groundwater.
Further information
Reports
- Beverley Stage 4A environmental site assessment, September 2017
- Beverley Stage 3B Validation (site specific) assessment works, June 2016 | Appendices A to G | Appendices H to M
- Beverley assessment area - summary of historical activities, May 2016
- Beverley broader area assessment report, 26 April 2016
(Please contact us for the appendices) - Conceptual site model, October 2015
- Preliminary vapour intrusion assessment, October 2015
- Preliminary human health risk assessment, October 2015
- Stage 4 Indoor air data report (August–September 2015)
- Stage 3 vapour monitoring data report (July–August 2015)
- Beverley Stage 4B indoor air data report, September 2015
- Vapour mitigation strategy, August 2015
- Stage 2 vapour monitoring data report, July 2015
- Groundwater and Soil Vapour Data Report and Appendices, May 2015
Letters to residents
Maps
- TCE Indoor air predictions, November 2017
- Assessment area, February 2017
- TCE indoor air predictions, June 2016
- Assessment area, January 2016
- Broader assessment area, May 2015
- Assessment Area review zone, October 2014
- Assessment Area for western suburbs, June 2008
Fact sheets
Media releases
Beverley Community Working Group (CWG)
The EPA has established the Beverley Community Working Group (CWG) as one of its key stakeholder engagement initiatives, to provide strategic interaction and information sharing with the community throughout the assessment program.
The CWG was formed in June 2015 and comprises a number of community members who are actively representing local communities and other key stakeholders. The focus and content of meetings are regularly refined to suit the assessment stages and to enable members to become a link for accurate information between the EPA and their local communities.
Past meeting notes
- Presentation, 6 December 2016
- Presentation, 27 September 2016
- Presentation, 23 August 2016
- Presentation, 5 July 2016
- Meeting notes, 17 May 2016
- Presentation, 17 May 2016
- Meeting notes, 22 March 2016
- Presentation, 22 March 2016
- Meeting notes 24 February 2016
- Presentation 24 February 2016
- Meeting notes, 19 January 2016
- Presentation, 19 January 2016
- Meeting notes, 29 September 2015
- Presentation, 29 September 2015
- Presentation on soil vapor intrusion and mitigation, Dr Ian Hers, 2 September 2015
- Meeting notes, 2 September 2015
- Presentation, 2 September 2015
- Meeting notes, 7 July 2015
- Presentation, 7 July 2015
- SA Health fact sheet: Trichloroethene
- Indoor air level response range (TCE)
- Meeting notes, 16 June 2015
- Presentation, 16 June 2015
Background
Frequently asked questions
What is the Beverley environmental assessment program?
The program involves a combination of soil, groundwater and soil vapour testing to give the EPA a better understanding of the nature and extent of trichloroethene (TCE) contamination in this area and evaluate any potential risk to human health.
A further, long-term aim of the assessment program is to identify the source of the existing environmental issue in the soil or in groundwater and where the sources are located.
What is TCE (Trichloroethene)?
Trichloroethene, or TCE, is a colourless liquid chemical that is widely used in industrial activities and historically in the Beverley area particularly for metal cleaning and degreasing.
Other historical uses include removing caffeine from coffee beans in the production of decaffeinated coffee, for dry cleaning and as an anaesthetic for surgery.
Where is the Beverley and surrounding suburbs assessment area?
The Beverley assessment area is on the southern side of Port Road bordered by Willis Street, Courtoy Street, Fife Street, Braithwaite Street, Bourne Place and Gemmell Street (refer to maps).
What is the process for the environmental assessment works?
What has been the timeline for environmental testing in the Beverley industrial area?
In 2006, the EPA was advised of site contamination of TCE in groundwater at a former industrial site in Beverley.
In 2007-08, the EPA and SA Health tested groundwater to determine the nature and extent of groundwater contamination in the surrounding area. Residents, landowners and businesses were contacted during this time.
In June 2008, the EPA, in consultation with SA Health, letterbox-dropped approximately 3,000 properties including residents and businesses, advising them that bore water should not be used for any purpose in the assessment area.
This advice remains in place. Mains water supplied by SA Water and water from rain water tanks is not affected and is safe.
Following a review in August 2014 of this assessment area – which was identified as a potential groundwater prohibition area – the EPA and SA Health agreed that further testing was warranted. This further testing involved groundwater and soil vapour.
Residents, landowners and business operators on approximately 3,000 properties were again advised, on 8 October 2014, not to use bore water for any purpose and that further testing would be undertaken over the coming months.
In March 2015, the EPA outlined a testing schedule to commence in April 2015 and selected a specialist environmental consultant to conduct the required works, primarily on public land such as road reserves and footpaths, which included soil vapour and groundwater testing.
In May 2015, environmental testing confirmed the presence of Trichloroethene (TCE) in groundwater and soil vapour at a number of locations within the assessment area. Although groundwater contamination was at lower levels than previous tests had shown, some of the soil vapour data was higher than expected.
In June 2015, the EPA conducted further, targeted soil vapour testing in a reduced area of interest to better define the nature and extent of soil vapour contamination.
Following receipt of the data from the June testing, the EPA was able to further reduce its area of interest and in July 2015, announced another round of soil vapour testing in two smaller, defined areas. This testing will involve the installation of a series of permanent soil vapour bores at varying depths on public and commercial land along with the re-sampling of some existing locations to validate previous results.
Why are these works being undertaken?
In 2008 the EPA advised residents and businesses that bore water (groundwater) should not be used. This was based on previous assessment programs in the area which identified contamination in the groundwater.
As part of plans to formalise this advice through the implementation of a Groundwater Prohibition Area, the EPA initiated further assessment works to better understand the nature and extent of the contamination and inform local residents and businesses of the next steps in this process.
Why are you doing more work?
Based on the initial raw data, although the groundwater contamination was at lower levels than what previous testing had shown, the soil vapour data returned readings that were higher than expected.
In order to define the nature and extent of soil vapour contamination in the area, more targeted soil vapour testing is being undertaken. This will help provide a more accurate understanding of the environmental conditions in the area to better understand whether there is any potential impact to residential properties.
Will these results be made available?
All residents in the Beverley assessment area will be advised of the results once they become available. Communication of these results may include personal visits with residents, letters and fact sheets.
All results will be made available to the broader public on the EPA website and EPA Public Register.
Can I drink water and grow fruit and vegetables?
SA Health has advised that home grown fruit and vegetables are safe, provided they are not watered using contaminated groundwater.
Mains water provided by SA Water and water from rainwater tanks is not affected and is safe to use as normal.
The EPA continues to advise residents not to use groundwater for any purpose until further notice.
How will you be engaging with the community?
The EPA has established the Beverley Community Working Group (CWG) as one of its key stakeholder engagement initiatives, to provide strategic interaction and information sharing with the community throughout the assessment program.
The CWG was formed in June 2015 and comprises a number of community members who are actively representing local communities and other key stakeholders.
The focus and content of meetings are regularly refined to suit the assessment stages and to enable members to become a link for accurate information between the EPA and their local communities.
All residents are welcome to join this Community Working Group – please email or phone 1800 729 175 if you would like to attend.
Where can I find more information?
All information involving the environmental assessment program in Beverley and the surrounding area including tests results will be communicated directly by a combination of:
- Letters to local residents
- Door knocking residents within the assessment area and making personal contact with representatives from the EPA
- Community Working Group meetings
- EPA website
- Phone 1800 729 175