Lavarack Barracks probe did not go far enough

I REFER to the article by Sam Flanagan, “Defence pledges to clean up toxic waste” (TB, 24/8), regarding remedial actions to minimise the PFAS contamination from the Lavarack Barracks usage of firefighting foam.

The Lavarack Barracks PFAS investigation was always only less than half the job required to address this major community issue as dictated by the investigation’s terms of reference.

The scientific investigation team did diligently perform their tasks, as dictated by government, but the job was never identified to allow them to investigate outside the surface water transmission beyond the Lavarack Barracks Fire Station.

There was no mention of the ordnance loading and storage facilities inside the Mount Stuart training area, all of which have very effective fire suppression systems that would have required servicing, recharging and upgrading many times since the 1970s.

The chemicals used would have included Aqueous Film Forming Foam and, seeing as it was regarded as harmless, over the years it is certain that any waste materials would have been disposed of down the drain straight into Blacks Weir.

The Lavarack Barracks PFAS investigation did no testing in Ross River beyond Gleesons Weir, let alone the groundwater in the aquifers at the Upper Ross. This must occur if the true extent of the PFAS contamination plumes is to be identified.

It is a point of mass injustice that Townsville residents who may be impacted, but do not live on or own property inside the “investigation area”, will have no opportunity for redress unless there are further investigations to identify the true extent of this major contamination plume.

KEVIN PARKES,

West End.