Mobile Cleaning and Trade Industry
Wastewater entering stormwater drainage system from activities including car washing, outdoor cleaning (e.g. steam and high-pressure cleaning), mobile dog washing, brick and paver cutting, aggregate driveway laying, and roof cleaning can pollute our waters. The wastewater from these activities has direct and indirect effect to water quality and can be harmful to aquatic animals and wildlife.
These are the ways to protect the environment:
- Avoid using detergents or other chemicals in a way that the wastewater can potentially move into the road, stormwater drains or waterways.
- Avoid flushing any building waste material (e.g. paint, cement) into the road or stormwater drainage system.
- Wash your vehicle in a way that the wastewater can be contained and soaked (e.g. grass)
- Use minimal amount of water and minimal biodegradable, phosphate-free and environmentally friendly products.
- Collect and dispose of all wastewater to a location where water can be treated.
How to lodge your complaint
If you are lodging a complaint about a water pollution incident, you will need to provide information including:
- Time and date of incident
- Address or/and GPS co-ordinates
- Type and amount of waste
- Description of the alleged offender or business
- Vehicle description including colour, model, registration number
- Photographic evidence
Lodge your complaint to our Environmental Health Unit on 1300 972 753 or info@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au.
Fines may apply
If you contravened and discharged prescribed water contaminants into the stormwater drainage system, we can issue an on-the-spot fine of $2000.
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Healthy waterways are important especially in the boating and marina industries. Pollution of waterways is not only bad for marine environments but also bad for tourism and boating.
Activities conducted in and around marinas can immediately pollute our coastal environments. Often marinas are designed in a manner that can cause pollutants to concentrate within their confines. Due to the high number of vessels located within a marina, vessel washing can be a significant contributor to this water pollution.
Wastewater from vessel washing has the potential to release many types of chemicals that can be harmful to aquatic environments. Many cleaning products contain phosphates, alternative builders, chlorine, zinc, ammonia and other harmful chemicals.
Many cleaning products are labelled as biodegradable. This means that the product can take up to 21 days for 80% of the mixture to be degraded (AS1792—Methods to Determine the Biodegradability of Surfactants). Decomposers, such as bacteria, have the ability to biodegrade many pollutants into different, less harmful compounds and are present in a healthy aquatic ecosystem. Their ability to break down pollutants in wastewater depends on the quantity and quality of the water released in the environment.
Boat washing is essential for keeping vessels clean and in good condition. However, vessel washing can release various types of water contaminants or water pollution.
Practising proper vessel washing procedures can prevent water pollution and protect our marine and coastal environments. The best practice for vessel owners and operators is not to release or discharge any waste to the receiving environment.
Our Environmental Health Unit created a guideline for best practices for washing your vessel.
We are in liaison with Maritime Safety Queensland and Department of Environment and Science to protect our marine environment and the Great Barrier Reef.
If you witness someone negligently discharging ship-sourced pollutant (e.g. oil, fuel, sewage or garbage) into coastal waters, please contact the Maritime Safety Queensland.