Investigate a trade waste non-compliance and progress new applications

What is going on

A sample taken at the Merriwa Holdings food processing plant monitoring point returned a pH of 4.6 against an approval limit of 6.0 to 10.0, and the Mooroopna plant inlet works recorded a low pH slug the next morning. The plant has a high risk approval with dissolved air flotation and pH correction. The Customer and Trade Waste Manager wants the non-compliance investigated and a formal notice issued under the Trade Waste Policy. Two other files need attention: the Bassline Laundromat medium risk application is under assessment awaiting pump and temperature data, and Riverbend Motors has applied but is currently discharging workshop floor drains to the sewer without an oil separator.

Your brief

Investigate the Merriwa pH exceedance, issue the formal notice with required actions and increased sampling, install the composite sampler, set the assessment conditions for the laundromat, direct Riverbend Motors in writing not to discharge until approved, and bring the Trade Waste Approvals Register up to date.

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 Trade Waste Policy, including its assessment, inspection and non-compliance sections, and summarise the graduated response to non-compliance and the acceptance limits that apply to Merriwa.
• Review the approval TW-0142, the sample WQ-26-3325 and the incident register entry INC-26-120, and record the evidence linking the exceedance to the plant inlet event.
• Inspect the Merriwa pH correction system and dissolved air flotation unit, interview the site supervisor about the process upset, and record the inspection findings and photographs in the register.
• Draft the formal notice to Merriwa Holdings stating the exceedance, the approval condition breached, the actions required with a rectification date and the increased sampling frequency.
• Arrange the 24-hour composite sampler at the monitoring point through work order WO-26-4421 and enter the samples in the Water Quality Sampling Register.
• Assess the Bassline Laundromat application: state the pre-treatment, temperature and monitoring conditions you will set once the pump data is received and update the register status.
• Write to Riverbend Motors stating that discharge must not commence until the separator is installed and the approval is issued, and record the letter against TW-0240.
• Update every affected register entry and brief the Customer and Trade Waste Manager on the recommended next step if Merriwa's composite results exceed limits again.

What someone in this role would produce

• Investigation summary linking the sample, inspection and plant inlet event
• Formal notice to Merriwa Holdings
• Composite sampling arrangements and register entries
• Letters or notes on the laundromat and Riverbend Motors files
• Updated Trade Waste Approvals Register entries