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This paper was written by the South Gippsland
Shire Council, and published in "Environmental Health" Vol.5 No.1 2005.
In the paper the predecessor to the
LevelTroll, the MiniTroll was used obtain the crucial data for this
study. Download the complete paper:
Summary
Digital Detection of Wastewater in
Stormwater
Callum Morrison, Skye Scott and Jim Smith
Many unsewered townships in
Victoria are the origin of contaminated stormwater flows that discharge
through adjacent open farmland and into coastal rivers and lakes.
In the past, Environmental Health Practitioners and State Authorities used
microbiological and nutrient analysis of stormwater to determine the type
and amount of wastewater contamination. This method generally takes
several days for the results to be known and only indicates water quality
at the moment the sample is taken. While microbiological sampling is still
integral to the identification of specific health risks, it is often not
easily understood by the public at risk. Digital monitoring using
temperature and flow is an effective and simple tool for environmental
protection regulation and also evaluation of existing conditions and
infrastructure. The data presentation format is easily understood for
public educational purposes. This
sampling technique requires further investigation and research to ensure
regulators and enforcement officers are provided with accurate evidence to
address stormwater
contamination from inadequate wastewater systems. This research presents
improved detection and protracted real time monitoring of storm water to
detect previously invisible wastewater discharges. It allows continuous
monitoring outside typical work hours when wastewater discharges are most
likely to occur. Digital monitoring may be the practical way to identify
when it is best to take water samples for laboratory analysis as an
alternative to the less reliable and “blind” sampling now undertaken.
Digital monitoring of illegal wastewater discharges has the potential to
provide the necessary data for both initiating appropriate enforcement
actions and for determining
wastewater planning priorities based on risk identification and analysis. |
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