Resample the stormwater exceedance and monitor the Windsor bores

You are an environmental technician in Environmental Monitoring and Field Services.

Simulated workplaceIntermediate missionCAQA GreenLoop Sustainability

What is going on

Stormwater discharge point 2 at Eastern Creek returned 64 milligrams per litre of total suspended solids against a licence limit of 50 on 1 September. The licence requires a resample within seven days and a report to the regulator if the exceedance is confirmed. The same run must cover the two Windsor groundwater bores MW-2 and MW-3 that are due for their six-monthly sampling under the licence. The sampling plan requires a field duplicate and a rinsate blank on the run. Rain is forecast for Tuesday afternoon. The multi-parameter meter was last calibrated on Friday and the pH buffer expiry needs checking. Callum Reid wants everything in the register the same day.

Callum Reid, Environmental Monitoring Manager
Subject: Eastern Creek stormwater resample and Windsor bores

Discharge point 2 at Eastern Creek came back at 64 milligrams per litre of suspended solids against the 50 limit, so the licence requires a resample and I want it done on Tuesday along with the two Windsor groundwater bores that are due. Plan the run, calibrate the meters, take the required quality control samples and get the chain of custody right, because the regulator will look at this one. Enter everything in the sample and monitoring register the same day and flag the exceedance to Ngaire if it repeats.

Your brief

Plan and complete the sampling run for the stormwater resample and the two groundwater bores, calibrate and record field instruments, collect the samples and quality control samples to the procedure, complete the chain of custody, enter the samples in the register and escalate the exceedance correctly if it repeats.

Work through it

You do not need to do it all. Doing a few of these will show you what the work is like. Your ticks and notes stay on this device.

Read the water and soil sampling and chain of custody procedure and the licence monitoring conditions for both sites in the legal obligations register.
Prepare the run: bottle sets and preservatives for stormwater and groundwater analytes, labels, chain of custody forms, esky and ice, decontamination kit and the journey plan with check-in times.
Calibrate the multi-parameter meter on the day, check the buffer expiry and record the calibration in the field sheet before leaving base.
Sample discharge point 2 during flow, record field parameters first, collect the licence analytes and the field duplicate, and photograph the discharge condition.
Purge and sample bores MW-2 and MW-3 to the plan, record standing water level and stable parameters, and collect the rinsate blank between bores.
Complete the chain of custody form with every sample, blind identifiers for the quality control samples, times and your signature, and seal the esky for the courier.
Enter every sample in the environmental sample and monitoring register with status and link the stormwater resample to the earlier exceedance record.
Write a short note to Callum Reid and Ngaire Patterson stating what was sampled, any departure from the plan and what happens if the resample confirms the exceedance.

My notes: what did I enjoy, and what surprised me?

What someone in this role would produce

Run plan and journey plan
Field sheets with calibration and field parameters
Completed chain of custody form
Sample and monitoring register entries
Note to the managers on the exceedance follow-up

Printing this is a record of what you explored. It is not a certificate or a qualification.