The EPA regularly monitors key groundwater resources and areas
that are known to be under stress from pollution. These areas
include the South East, the Northern Adelaide Plains and the Willunga
Basin.
The Environment Protection Act 1993 requires that all
activities that present a risk to the environment be licensed.
This includes industrial activities that could pollute groundwater.
The EPA may impose licence conditions that require regular monitoring,
restrict the activity to limit its potential to pollute, and may
specify improvements to avoid pollution.
The Environment
Protection Water Quality Policy 2003 (WQEPP) is intended
to protect the groundwater resources of South Australia from pollution.
It will do this by ensuring that groundwater is managed sustainably.
By using the WQEPP to set environmental values and water quality
objectives for groundwater, the EPA can protect the resource.
Failure to comply with the requirements of the WQEPP can result
in an on-the-spot fine or, depending on the seriousness of the
offence, prosecution.
The EPA has published codes of practice and guidelines to help
prevent pollution (e.g. codes of practice for stormwater discharge).
Guidelines and codes of practice are regularly updated and published
by the EPA, refer to the publications section
of the EPA website for copies of current guidelines and codes
of practice.
