Woodville Port Road
Assessment area
The EPA has been undertaking environmental assessments in Woodville since May 2019, around a site on Port Road that undertook electroplating between 1950 and 1990.
In October 2019 the EPA advised that as a result of these activities, groundwater (bore water) is contaminated with hexavalent chromium and per- and poly- fluroalkyl substances (PFAS), and should not be used for any purpose.
The chemicals are not a health risk to residents unless you are using bore water.
Three stages of work has determined how far the contamination has travelled in the uppermost aquifers. Where there is evidence of groundwater contamination that has the potential to impact human health, the EPA can propose that a groundwater prohibition area be established subject to community consultation. South Australia currently has 6 of these areas in place.
The EPA has commenced work to determine whether using groundwater should be prohibited in this area and, if so, the proposed boundary in proximity of other contaminated sites nearby (some of which are still being assessed).
For further information please see ‘Reports’ and previous ‘Community updates and fact sheets’ below.
