Sandra McCuaig - 2 July 2024

Sandra McCuaig presented to Council at the Public Access Session on 2 July 2024.

Sandra McCuaig presented on a matter relating to Bodalla Dairy. No presentation was provided.

Sandra's presentation can be viewed on Eurobodalla Shire Council's live streaming website

Council's reply

I would like to thank you for taking the time to contribute to the Public Access Session on 2 July 2024, in relation to Bodalla milk pasteurisation. Contributions to this session are a welcome insight into the views of our local community.

As this matter is subject to an enforcement order, Council will not comment any further on the specifics of this situation. What has been done is to provide some information on wastewater treatment and the dairy industry so there is a better understanding of why Council regulates these matters.

Wastewater from dairy processing plants has a number of characteristics due to the composition of milk, and the methods required to clean the equipment following processing are well understood within the industry.

Milk processing waste is composed of four main components, lactose (a naturally occurring ‘milk sugar’), fat (whole milk is 3-4% fat), protein, and mineral salts. Each requires a different process to clean from the equipment. A typical cleaning sequence would be a hot pre-rinse (which should never go to the sewerage system due to the high level of milk solids – best practice is reuse as animal feed or other uses), an alkali wash to remove the fats, a rinse, an acid wash to remove the proteins and minerals, followed by a final rinse.

Whey is also a by-product of the manufacturing process and should be kept from being discharged to the sewer system due to its high organic loading and volumes. Without appropriate pretreatment, the wastewater components can coagulate in the sewerage system and cause blockages or damage equipment (which are known as ‘fatbergs’).

Whilst the wastewater pH is generally alkaline to neutral when it is produced, due to the organic and chemical processes that occur afterwards, the wastewater rapidly turns acidic which damages equipment and kills the biological process that we rely on to treat sewage at the sewage treatment plants.

The wastewater is considered ‘liquid trade waste’ and is regulated by the NSW State Government – Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) and any approval for dairy products processing is considered high-risk and requires concurrence from the Department before wastewater can be discharged to Council’s sewerage system.

Other businesses in Bodalla connected to the sewer have appropriate pretreatment and are operating in accordance with their liquid trade waste approval. There are no other ‘high-risk’ dischargers in Bodalla. Each property has its own sewer ‘pod’ which is fitted with an alarm in the event of pump failure. These pods are used throughout the shire, including North Batemans Bay, Rosedale, and Guerilla Bay as well as Bodalla and Potato Point.

Disposal of the wastewater to the sewer system is one option available to business owners and other options such as pump out and treatment at an approved facility is also available.

Once again, I take this opportunity to thank you for your presentation made to Council.