Licence conditions for pollution studies and reduction program


  

Licence conditions for pollution studies and reduction programs

Summary
 
Licence number: 372
Title: Pollution Study - PFAS Monitoring
Start date: 01 Dec 2025
 
Licence Condition
The objective of this Pollution Study is to characterise the level of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the sewerage system, in treated effluent, and in the environment near the discharge point(s) of treated effluent from the sewage treatment plant(s).
Sampling and analysis for PFAS must be done by the licensee in accordance with Method 1633, Revision A Analysis of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Aqueous, Solid, Biosolids, and Tissue Samples by LC-MS/MS dated December 2024 for the 40 PFAS chemicals listed in this method. 
For the locations listed below, monitoring must commence by 1 December 2025 and be undertaken quarterly for a period of 3 years, with the twelfth and last sampling round completed by 30 September 2028. 
Monitoring must be done at the following locations:  a) a sampling location representative of the influent to the sewage treatment plant; and b) a sampling location representative of treated effluent from the sewage treatment plant immediately before its discharge to the environment; and c) in the case of riverine discharges, two ambient water quality sampling locations; one upstream of the treated effluent discharge point and one downstream of the mixing zone; or alternatively d) in the case of near shore coastal or estuarine discharges, water quality sampling locations representative of receiving waters. 
In the case of the three deepwater ocean outfall systems, ambient monitoring consists of sampling of sediment near the discharge point(s). Ambient monitoring must commence by 1 December 2025 and be undertaken annually for a period of 3 years, with the last sampling round completed by 30 September 2028. 
The licensee must concurrently monitor for pH, turbidity, and electrical conductivity (EC) in conjunction with the 40 PFAS chemicals at each of the sampling locations specified in the condition above, as stipulated in parts a), b), c), and d) of that condition. 
The licensee must submit a monitoring plan for the Pollution Study (the ‘PFAS Monitoring Plan’) for EPA’s review and endorsement prior to commencement of sampling. The PFAS Monitoring Plan must be submitted via info@epa.nsw.gov.au by 17 October 2025.
The PFAS Monitoring Plan must include but need  not be limited to; justification for the sampling locations identified for monitoring (including control sampling locations), sampling methods and protocols, sample preservation and analysis methods, and a proposed reporting format including laboratory QA/QC procedures and Limits of Reporting values. Where possible, the licensee can select monitoring points that align with the existing monitoring points on the licence. 
The licensee must complete the Pollution Study in accordance with the EPA endorsed PFAS Monitoring Plan and the milestone completion dates set out within that Monitoring Plan.
For the purpose of interpreting compliance with the previous condition, the most recent version of the PFAS Monitoring Plan that has been agreed to in writing by the EPA at the time applies. The licensee must notify the EPA in writing of any anticipated delays to meeting the completion date(s) under the PFAS Monitoring Plan, including: a) An amended monitoring plan identifying the current monitoring completion date(s); and b) An explanation for the change in monitoring completion date(s).
Monitoring data must be submitted to EPA via info@epa.nsw.gov.au within 4 weeks of each monitoring round being completed in an excel format.
The licensee must prepare and submit to the EPA a final Monitoring Report for the purpose of meeting the objective stated in the very first condition of this Pollution Study within four months of completion of the last monitoring round. The Report must be submitted via email to info@epa.nsw.gov.au.