City of Gold Coast council was alerted to a sewer main break in a paddock near the Albert River in the Yatala/Stapylton area on April 8 – about 400m east of the M1 - and immediately began repairs.
Repairs on the sewer main were completed on Friday (April 12). During repairs, the broken sewer main was isolated, and tankers were utilised to manage the flows of sewage at the upstream pump station.
An initial investigation has indicated the sewage spill from the underground pipeline may have commenced in mid-January 2024. A detailed investigation is underway to fully understand the cause and duration of the spill.
Results of microbial testing has confirmed that the river is safe for recreational use, but in an abundance of caution Queensland Health recommends seafood caught in the tidal reaches of Albert or Logan River is not consumed until further notice.
As a precaution, signage has been put in place asking the public to avoid the spill area and the City of Gold Coast council is investigating how long the sewer main had been broken.
Queensland Health recommends any person who believes that they have become unwell from consuming fish they have caught to contact the GP for further advice.
City of Gold Coast council will continue to assess water quality and address any potential risks in consultation with Queensland Health, the Department of Environmental Science and Innovation and Safe Food Queensland.
The City of Gold Coast council is supporting Safe Food Queensland to engage with the Aquaculture industry to assess any impacts to their operations. Safe Food Qld is the lead agency for engagement with the Aquaculture Industry.
The council are also working with landowners and businesses in the area which may have been impacted by the spill.
The extent of the leak is still being calculated but it is estimated, that loses were in the vicinity of 4 mega litres per day. Detailed investigation to quantify the duration and total of the loss are currently underway.
