Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288:reg:3:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 1/5)
Character Range: 2024422–2027473

3                   Framework for applying water quality guidelines in the risk-based assessment of contaminated groundwater

3.1              Introduction
This section provides a framework for the use of the following guidelines in the risk-based assessment of contaminated groundwater:
    * Australian water quality guidelines for fresh and marine water (AWQG) (ANZECC & ARMCANZ 2000)
    * Australian drinking water guidelines (ADWG) (NHMRC & NRMMC 2011)
    * Guidelines for managing risk in recreational water (GMRRW) (NHMRC 2008).
These guidelines present criteria for potential contaminants of concern. These criteria are adopted as GILs in this NEPM and form the basis for the assessment of contaminated groundwater and associated risks. The GILs are trigger levels which, if exceeded, have the potential to cause a problem and so trigger further investigation or management action.
The criteria defined within the ADWG apply at the point of use, for example, at the tap, and are applicable to any water, including bore water, where that water is intended for potable use. In this Schedule, the ADWG criteria are used as investigation levels for comparison with groundwater quality monitoring data (Tier 1 and 2) and, for example, the results of contaminant fate and transport modelling (Tier 3). A management response should be considered if the ADWG are (or are likely to be) exceeded at the point of use.

The assessment framework is based on identifying the receptors (human and/or ecological) for groundwater that is contaminated and determining the level of protection required by referring to the appropriate set of guidelines within the AWQG, the ADWG and the GMRRW.

Schedule B1 of this NEPM introduces Health Screening Levels (HSLs) for groundwater, for protection of human health from petroleum hydrocarbon vapours. Schedule B1 and references therein should be consulted for details of the application of the groundwater HSLs.

3.2              Groundwater environmental values
Environmental values are values or uses of the environment that are conducive to public benefit, welfare, safety or health and that require protection from the effects of pollution, waste discharge and deposits. The AWQG, ADWG and GMRRW set out criteria for water quality relating to a number of environmental values:
    * ecosystem protection
    * aquaculture and human consumers of food
    * agricultural water (irrigation and stock water)
    * recreation and aesthetics
    * drinking water
    * industrial water.
For each environmental value, a set of guideline criteria is presented for potential contaminants of concern.

Ecosystem protection, in this context, refers to aquatic ecosystems which depend at least in part on groundwater to maintain ecosystem health (groundwater-dependent ecosystems). Depending on the site setting, this may include surface water bodies such as wetlands, streams and rivers reliant on groundwater base flow, some estuarine and near-shore marine systems, as well as aquifer and cave ecosystems. Consideration of