A LAKE Bolac landowner is furious after his property was flooded with dirty water from a nearby business.
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Tony Cornwell owns a 50 acre hobby farm between Salt Lake and Mortlake-Ararat Road, Lake Bolac.
Opposite his property is an industrial estate that is home to CHS Broadbent Grain along with three other companies.
Mr Cornwell said CHS Broadbent Grain’s newly built culvert drain was the cause of the problem.
“They dug a drain across the road to drain their containment dams and by doing this they have allowed the water to flow straight onto our property,” he said.
“The water used to flow around my property, but that’s changed.”
Ararat Rural City Council approved a planning permit for the drain in 2016 and the new drain was built about three months ago.
Mr Cornwell said the dirty water flow started a month ago.
“The water is green and clearly has a sheen on it which could be oil or diesel,” he said.
“I’m 100 per cent sure that the water is contaminated and I suspect it’s blue-green algae.
“It would be up to me to collect water samples and pay for it to get tested, which could cost around $1000.”
Mr Cornwell said he had contacted the Environment Protection Authority Victoria and council about the problem, but was given unsatisfactory responses.
“I was pretty much told by the EPA to put up with it and that this sort of stuff happens in the country,” he said.
“They say it’s a natural occurrence, but it’s not.
“I’ve been complaining for two years that this would happen and now it has.
“I had so many site meetings and promises that it wouldn’t happen, but all of a sudden this new drain goes in and now my property has contaminated water on it.”
The hobby farm is home to a number of sheep but is mainly used to house Mr Cornwell’s horses.
“I’ve had to move my horses because I was afraid they would drink the contaminated water,” he said.
“When we first bought the property it was deemed by council to be farming land and we were told that it had environmental protection on it.
“It’s so depressing that this has now happened.
“I appreciate that Lake Bolac needs its businesses but we also need to be aware of the impact to the environment.
“This is just another example of big business doing what they want.”
The Ararat Advertiser contacted the EPA for comment but they didn’t reply before deadline.
An Ararat Rural City Council spokesman said council would “decline to comment at this stage”.
A CHS Broadbent spokesman said the company had “worked closely with council and had engaged with the EPA”.
“The works to date have been compliant with all aspects of the approved planning permit,” he said.
UPDATE, May 31:
EPA Southwest Manager Carolyn Francis said the matter was reported to EPA on May 12.
“An EPA officer contacted the community member and explained that as the issue related to civil construction and drainage works from a nearby industrial estate, which had been permitted by Ararat Rural City Council as the responsible authority for drainage matters, that the matter was best taken up with council,” she said.
“EPA also discussed the concerns with the company and Ararat Rural City Council. Council advised EPA that it was working with the residents on the concerns raised.
“The EPA officer encouraged the community member to call EPA again if the matter was not resolved with council; no further contact had been made by the community member.
“After being notified that there was still a problem, EPA inspected the site yesterday and collected samples for testing from a shallow puddle of green water that was not flowing, just pooling.
“There was also no odour detected and the colour indicates that algae is likely to be present. Samples will be tested to confirm algae and to also assessnutrients and hydrocarbon.
“The drainage works themselves remain the responsibly of council.
“EPA urges members of the public to continue to report suspected pollution to the EPA on 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842) or at www.epa.vic.gov.au.”