Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2008 (Qld)

Queensland Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2008 Subordinate Legislation 2008 No. 443 made under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 Contents Page 1 Short title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 Commencement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 Policy amended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 Omission of s 2 (Commencement) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 5 Amendment of s 7 (Environmental values to be enhanced or protected) ...................................... 3 6 Amendment of s 8 (Indicators for environmental values) . . . . . . . 5 7 Amendment of s 9 (Water quality guidelines for indicators for environmental values) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 8 Omission of s 10 (Protocols) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 9 Omission of pt 5, div 1 (Preliminary) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 10 Omission of pt 5, div 2, hdg (Waste management evaluation) . . . 6 11 Amendment of s 15 (Waste management evaluation procedure) 6 12 Replacement of pt 5, divs 3 and 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 16 Management intent for waters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 13 Replacement of pt 6, hdg (Management of certain sources of contamination) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 14 Omission of ss 28–32. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 15 Amendment of s 33 (On-site domestic waste water treatment systems) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 16 Amendment of s 40 (Sewage management) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2008 Contents 17 Amendment of s 41 (Trade waste management) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Omission of s 43 (Water conservation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Amendment of sch 2 (Dictionary) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 9 9 Page 2 2008 SL No. 443

Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2008 [s 1] 1 Short title This policy may be cited as the Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2008 . 2 Commencement This policy commences on 1 January 2009. 3 Policy amended This policy amends the Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 1997. 4 Omission of s 2 (Commencement) Section 2— omit . 5 Amendment of s 7 (Environmental values to be enhanced or protected) (1) Section 7(2)— omit, insert— ‘(2) For subsection (1)(b), the qualities are— (a) for high ecological value waters—the biological integrity of an aquatic ecosystem that is effectively unmodified or highly valued; and (b) for slightly to moderately disturbed waters—the biological integrity of an aquatic ecosystem that is affected adversely to a relatively small but measurable degree by human activity; and (c) for highly disturbed waters—the biological integrity of an aquatic ecosystem that is measurably degraded and of lower ecological value than waters mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b); and (d) suitability for— 2008 SL No. 443 Page 3

Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2008 [s 5] (i) primary recreational use; or (ii) secondary recreational use; or (iii) visual recreational use; and (e) suitability for minimal treatment before supply as drinking water; and Note — For guidelines that apply to water after it has been treated or is to be used for drinking, see— (a) the guidelines about drinking water published by Queensland Health; or (b) the document called ‘Australian drinking water guidelines 2004’, developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council. At the commencement of this section, the ‘Australian drinking water guidelines 2004’ could be accessed on the National Health and Medical Research Council’s website at < (f) suitability for agricultural use; and (g) suitability for aquacultural use; and (h) suitability for producing aquatic food for human consumption; and (i) suitability for industrial use; and (j) the cultural and spiritual values of the water.’. (2) Section 7— insert— ‘(5) In this section— cultural and spiritual values , of a water, means places, objects, or uses, in or near the water, that have anthropological, archaeological, historic, sacred or scientific significance or value. primary recreational use , of a water, means full body contact with the water, including, for example, diving, swimming, surfing, waterskiing and windsurfing. Page 4 2008 SL No. 443

Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2008 [s 6] secondary recreational use , of a water, means contact other than full body contact with the water, including, for example, boating and fishing. visual recreational use , of a water, means viewing the water without contact with it.’. 6 Amendment of s 8 (Indicators for environmental values) (1) Section 8(2)(b) and (c)— renumber as section 8(2)(c) and (d) . (2) Section 8(2)— insert— ‘(b) the QWQ guidelines;’. 7 Amendment of s 9 (Water quality guidelines for indicators for environmental values) (1) Section 9(1), ‘numerical concentration levels’— omit, insert— ‘quantitative measures’. (2) Section 9(2)(b) and (c)— renumber as section 9(2)(c) and (d) . (3) Section 9(2)— insert— ‘(b) the QWQ guidelines;’. 8 Omission of s 10 (Protocols) Section 10— omit. 2008 SL No. 443 Page 5

Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2008 [s 9] 9 Omission of pt 5, div 1 (Preliminary) Part 5, division 1— omit. 10 Omission of pt 5, div 2, hdg (Waste management evaluation) Part 5, division 2, heading— omit. 11 Amendment of s 15 (Waste management evaluation procedure) (1) Section 15, heading— omit, insert— ‘15 Management hierarchy for water’. (2) Section 15(1)— omit, insert— ‘(1) This section states the management hierarchy for an activity that may affect a water. Note — See the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008 , section 51 .’. (3) Section 15(2), ‘The administering authority must consider using the following waste management evaluation procedure’— omit, insert— ‘To the extent it is reasonable to do so, waste water release to waters must be dealt with using the following hierarchy of preferred procedures’. (4) Section 15(2), ‘require the relevant person to’— omit. Page 6 2008 SL No. 443

Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2008 [s 12] 12 Replacement of pt 5, divs 3 and 4 Part 5, divisions 3 and 4— omit, insert— ‘16 Management intent for waters ‘(1) This section states the management intent for waters that are subject to an activity that involves the release of waste water or contaminants to the waters. Note — See the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008 , section 51 . ‘(2) It is the management intent for the waters that the decision should ensure the following— (a) for high ecological value waters—the measures for indicators for all environmental values are maintained; (b) for slightly to moderately disturbed waters— (i) if the measures for indicators of the environmental values achieve the water quality objectives for the water—the measures for the indicators are maintained at levels that achieve the water quality objectives for the water; or (ii) if the measures for indicators of the environmental values do not achieve the water quality objectives for the water—the measures for indicators of the environmental values are improved to achieve the water quality objectives for the water; (c) for highly disturbed waters—the measures for indicators of the environmental values are progressively improved to achieve the water quality objectives for the water.’. 13 Replacement of pt 6, hdg (Management of certain sources of contamination) Part 6, heading— omit, insert— ‘Part 6 On-site sewerage facilities’. 2008 SL No. 443 Page 7

Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2008 [s 14] 14 Omission of ss 28–32 Sections 28 to 32— omit. 15 Amendment of s 33 (On-site domestic waste water treatment systems) (1) Section 33, heading— omit, insert— ‘33 Matters particular local governments must consider’. (2) Section 33(1)(b) and (2)(a), ‘domestic waste water treatment systems’— omit, insert— ‘sewerage facilities’. (3) Section 33(2)(b) and (d), ‘systems’— omit, insert— ‘facilities’. 16 Amendment of s 40 (Sewage management) (1) Section 40(1)— omit, insert— ‘(1) A local government that is a sewerage service provider must develop and implement an environmental plan about sewage management that minimises unnecessary flows entering the sewerage service.’. (2) Section 41(3)(c), ‘system’— omit, insert— ‘service’. 17 Amendment of s 41 (Trade waste management) (1) Section 41(1)— Page 8 2008 SL No. 443

Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2008 [s 18] omit, insert— ‘(1) A local government that is a sewerage service provider must develop and implement an environmental plan about trade waste management that controls trade wastes entering the sewerage service.’. (2) Section 41(2)(b)(ii) and (iii), ‘system’— omit, insert— ‘service’. 18 Omission of s 43 (Water conservation) Section 43— omit. 19 Amendment of sch 2 (Dictionary) (1) Schedule 2, definitions acid sulphate soil , ANCA Directory , coastal waters , deposit , draw-down zone , harmful substance , impact monitoring , incidental release , Marine Pollution Act , MARPOL 73/78 , natural biological controls , noxious liquid substance , oil , on-site domestic waste water treatment system , primary contact recreational use , pristine aquatic ecosystem , protocol , recreational use , relevant person , secondary contact recreational use , ship and visual recreational use — omit. (2) Schedule 2— insert— ‘ aquatic ecosystem means a community of organisms living within or adjacent to water, including riparian or foreshore areas. high ecological value waters means waters in which the biological integrity of the water is effectively unmodified or highly valued. highly disturbed waters means waters that are significantly degraded by human activity and have lower ecological value 2008 SL No. 443 Page 9

Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2008 [s 19] than high ecological value waters or slightly or moderately disturbed waters. on-site sewerage facility means an on-site sewerage facility under the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2002 . QWQ guidelines means the document called ‘Queensland water quality guidelines 2006’, published by the department. Editor’s note — A copy of the guidelines may be inspected at the department’s head office at 160 Ann Street, Brisbane and may be accessed on the department’s website at < sewerage service provider means a service provider under the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 for providing a sewerage service. slightly or moderately disturbed waters means waters in which the biological integrity of the water has been affected adversely to a relatively small but measurable degree by human activity.’. (3) Schedule 2, definition biological integrity , examples, paragraph (a), ‘pristine or modified aquatic ecosystems’— omit, insert— ‘an aquatic ecosystem that is effectively unmodified or highly valued’. (4) Schedule 2, definition water quality objectives , ‘long-term’— omit. ENDNOTES 1 Made by the Minister on 2 December 2008. 2 Approved by Governor in Council on 11 December 2008. 3 Notified in the gazette on 12 December 2008. 4 Laid before the Legislative Assembly on . . . 5 The administering agency is the Environmental Protection Agency. © State of Queensland 2008 Page 10 2008 SL No. 443