Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00053:body:0:p32
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00053
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 81042–84080

and Marine Water Quality, 2000 (ANZECC). Groundwater quality has been noted to vary significantly within fill material over short distances;
  * Surface water investigations carried out in 2001 identified that copper, zinc and tributyltin were the main contaminants of concern for surface waters surrounding the site. However, only zinc may be having a marginal impact on harbour water quality as copper and tributyltin were not elevated with respect to background water quality, and;
  * Hydrocarbons, including volatile chlorinated compounds have been identified in groundwater (and soils) in the region of the former pipe laundry.
In 2004, the Harbour Trust commissioned the following studies, based on the auditor's recommendations:
  * Soil vapour and groundwater assessment in the Pipe Laundry area; and
  * Ground and surface water monitoring program.
The Pipe Laundry assessment was carried out to determine the current extent of hydrocarbon contamination in the area. While hydrocarbon contamination had been identified in groundwater and soil vapour in this area in the past, this assessment identified that this was now not the case, and that concentrations appear to have naturally attenuated. Importantly, hydrocarbon was also not found in groundwater down gradient of the Pipe Laundry area.
December 2004 results of the ground and surface water monitoring program confirmed the previous results, with the following exceptions:
  * Cadmium was recorded in ground water exceeding the relevant trigger level in the northern part of the site;
  * Elevated concentrations of organotin compounds exceeding the relevant trigger levels were detected in all eight surface water locations around the site; and
  * No heavy metals, PCBs or free cyanide concentrations were detected in any surface water samples.
As these waters are not currently utilised for drinking or recreation, there is limited opportunity for exposure to this contamination. However, there is potential for impact on the local harbour environment, particularly as background levels within the harbour decrease due to the removal of other sources of this contamination in the harbour. The Harbour Trust will continue ground and surface water monitoring, as remediation and management of the island progresses.

Near Shore Sediments
Previous assessment has shown that sub-surface sediments surrounding Cockatoo island and in the Sutherland and Fitzroy docks are contaminated with respect to the 'Interim' Sediment Quality Guidelines from ANZECC (2000), which the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) has endorsed. The principal contaminants exceeding these guidelines are copper, lead, mercury, zinc and tributyltin.
In 1998, CIRC carried out a review of sediment quality data immediately surrounding the island, as well as in the surrounding region of the harbour. The CIRC concluded that while elevated concentrations of contaminants were present both within the island's boundary and nearby, contaminants in sediments remote from the island were