A local waste removal company has raised concerns over the disposal of industrial oily water in the region, after several requests from customers.
Local Liquid says they’re licenced to take the water but have nowhere to hold it, with the EPA reportedly telling the company they need to dispose of it legally and can take the water hundreds of kilometres to Adelaide if they produced it.
The company also said anyone with an oily water seperator has to been cleaned out on a schedule SA Water sets, and if an EPA-licenced transporter like Local Liquid doesn’t clean them out in time, the businesses will be fined, despite the fact the company has no place to hold the water.
Local Liquid’s Andrew Foster told the station there needs to be a holding facility in Port Lincoln where it’s processed so the water stays here.
“95 per cent of it is water. There’s no point in carting mostly water to Adelaide with a little bit of oil in it,” he said.
In a statement, SA Water said the treatment and disposal of trade waste produced by businesses like mechanic workshops and car washes is managed by appropriately-licenced private companies or local councils, and has never been a service provided by SA Water.
A spokesperson said non-compliance fees are charged to their trade waste customers if they discharge waste to their sewer network which exceeds required acceptance standards.
The EPA has been contacted for comment.
