Quantong anger over EPA tick

Afrustrated group of Quantong residents has continued to promise to stop development plans for saline-wastewater treatment ponds in the rural settlement.

The group remains determined to fight the idea despite the state’s environmental watchdog assessing circumstances and issuing a development licence for the project.

Environment Protection Authority Victoria has granted the licence, with strict conditions, to Water Sustainability Farms to construct solar-drying evaporation facilities at Lanes Avenue, Quantong.

The site would play a role in dealing with wastewater from Horsham food manufacturer Australian Plant Proteins.

EPA has ordered any use of unlicensed ponds to cease, used the development licence to apply the strict conditions and will require Water Sustainability Farms to obtain a separate licence to operate after compliance with the conditions.

Sally Ison of Quantong said despite the strict conditions of the licence, district people remained ‘highly’ concerned about the long-term implications of the project going ahead and were determined to stop it from happening.

She said the EPA decision to grant a licence would face a major challenge, which might include taking the issue to the Victorian Civil Administration Tribunal, VCAT.

“Due to a short time frame in needing to respond, we are quickly getting our resources and plans together to seriously challenge this,” she said.

Mrs Ison said people on learning of the EPA decision were ‘very annoyed to say the least’.

“The next step is VCAT I dare say,” she said.

“What an absolute disgrace by the powers that be. It just makes absolutely no sense to me to have this site opposite where people live and in a community that is growing tenfold.

“Again common sense has gone down the drain.”

Requirements

EPA Permissioning and Development Strategy director Con Lolis said the proposed basins would allow for the evaporation of fresh water and the eventual disposal of remaining saline waste.

“EPA stepped in when calls from members of the public led to the discovery that evaporation ponds had been constructed without the required approvals,” he said.

“EPA officers were concerned the ponds were unlicensed and were not adequately constructed and managed to prevent saline water from leaking into the landscape, so EPA issued the company with an official notice requiring it to cease any use of the ponds.

“The company has gone through a public application process, including informing the community, and must comply with the licence and demonstrate the ponds can work without odour, leaking or other effects on the environment or community.

“A key EPA requirement is for the lining, management and operation of the ponds to comply with best available practices, with a strict permeability limit built into the construction.

“The proposed ponds will require a separate EPA operating licence before they can be used and must comply with that strict permeability requirement before EPA will agree to issue that operating licence.”

Regardless of EPA issuing a development licence, Water Sustainability Farms will still require a planning permit from

Horsham Rural City Council to proceed. Horsham mayor Robyn Gulline said the council had yet to receive an application for the site.

“As with all cases involving planning-permit applications, the interests of all parties will receive a fair hearing when it comes to making any assessment,” she said.

Mrs Ison said Quantong residents upset about the proposal felt isolated.

“We definitely feel we are on our own in this and we’re lucky to have some very informed people on our side,” she said.

“I again emphasise that we’re not against development – in fact the exact opposite. But development must work appropriately with community interests. Quantong was at one stage classed as having some of the best horticultural land in the country, with orchards, vegetable growers, dairies and irrigation.

“Now it’s about lifestyle living where farmers and hobby farmers reside and it is getting bigger.

“I feel so very sorry for those who live close to this project.

“There are so many other places where no people live where that this could have gone. What a bloody disgrace.

“From a primary producer, rate payer, tax payer, community volunteer and fourth-generation Quantong resident I am appalled.”