The EPA completed assessment of orphaned site contamination in Beverley and Woodville South in 2015.
An interactive journey about how the EPA used staged investigations to understand the nature and extent of contamination and what risks that contamination posed is now available through the Beverley and Woodville South Storymap.
Through text, photographs and map coverages, readers can navigate and interrogate information using their preferred device, helping to make the science of site assessment more accessible.
EPA assessment area
The EPA commenced environmental assessment in Beverley and Woodville South in 2015.
The purpose of the assessment has been to understand potential health risks from contamination associated with historical industrial and waste management practices across Beverley.
The investigations have been focused on assessing the scale of chlorinated hydrocarbon contamination, primarily trichloroethene (TCE), in groundwater and soil vapour.
Extensive assessment of groundwater has found the contamination extends across much of Beverley and westward into parts of Woodville South. The groundwater contamination continues to move slowly west. To prevent exposure to the contamination in groundwater, the EPA has advised owners in the area not to use groundwater (bore water) for any purpose. To formalise this advice and to prevent bores being installed in the future, the EPA established a groundwater prohibition area (GPA) (Stage 1 in December 2022 and Stage 2 in March 2023) to prohibit the taking of groundwater to a depth of 45 m below ground level.
TCE contamination in groundwater is volatile and provides a source of vapour in the soil. Vapours in the soil can move upwards into buildings in a process called vapour intrusion where concentrations of TCE can build up indoors and present long-term health risks. The EPA has undertaken work on private properties and has tested indoor air in some homes for vapour contamination coming up through the soil. In a small number of homes the EPA has installed mitigation systems to reduce this vapour to very low levels, which are considered to be safe over a long duration of time.
The most recent assessment (Stage 8 and 8S) was completed in May 2023.
For more information, please contact the EPA: Email – engage.epa@sa.gov.au Phone – (08) 8429 7554
For more information on the contaminants, please visit the SA Health website.
Vapour intrusion
The chemical substances found to be present in groundwater) have the potential to change from liquid to gas (volatilise) and move through the soil as vapour. It is then possible for this vapour to migrate and build up in underground spaces such as cellars and basements, as well as move into the indoor air of buildings. This is referred to as vapour intrusion.
Underground structures are closer to the contaminated groundwater and may increase the risk of vapour intrusion into buildings, including into rooms on the ground level. Any owners with cellars or basements should contact EPA for further advice regarding vapour intrusion risk.
Watch this animated video explaining vapour intrusion.
Selling or buying
The EPA is obligated under the Land and Business (Sale and Conveyancing) Regulations 2010 to flag an interest in all certificates of title for properties within an EPA assessment area where an environmental assessment report has been prepared.
This interest will result in a positive response on the Form 1 prepared during the sale of a property and ensures that future potential purchasers are aware that an environmental assessment has been undertaken.
This means a prospective purchaser considering purchasing a property located within the assessment area, will now observe a YES response to Question 4(c) in the EPA Statement to Form 1.
In addition to this YES response, a note will be included to refer the potential purchaser to the EPA website to obtain information in relation to this assessment area.
This is in addition to the EPA interest relating to the groundwater prohibition area that has been established in the area.
Should you required further information regarding the environmental assessment or how this relates to a specific property, please contact the EPA for tailored advice.
EPA assessment area
