The Problem

Outfall
... The place where a sewer, drain or stream discharges.

Effluent
... Liquid discharged as waste, as from an industrial plant or sewage works.

Australia's beautiful coastline, ecosystems and beaches are under a huge threat from ocean polluters. The worst offenders are ocean outfalls.

Australia's 144 ocean and estuary outfall pipelines dump billions of litres of semi-treated effluent; domestic, industrial, trade and abattoir waste onto or near the shoreline every single day.

Trade Waste
...Any liquid waste (and substances in the liquid) generated by industry, business, trade or manufacturing process.

Effluent outfalls across Australia often contain wastewater from industries who pay a fee to Water Authorities to dump their sometimes toxic waste into the sewage system.

Often the sewage systems currently in our towns and cities were designed decades ago, so treatment processes were not designed to manage pollutants and chemicals that now enter the system.

The worst Trade Waste industries include tanneries, hospitals, dentistry, morgue and pharmaceuticals from which all sorts of by-products and pollutants are flushed into the system.

Climate Change
...a change in the statistical properties of the climate system when considered over long periods of time.

Australia is a dry continent. Water is a valuable commodity. Scientists and meteorologists are forecasting increased times of drought, and infrequent patterns of flooding rains. What does this mean for our wastewater system? Increased pressure on ageing systems.

Dry times mean concentrated sewage flows, restrictions on water use and increase in water costs. Infrequent flooding rains mean large volumes of water swamping sewers that are not designed for huge flows resulting in treatment processes failing and pollution of our natural water systems.

News & Events

Medical Log a powerful tool

Thanks to all those who have responded with their stories of Port Phillip pollution-related illness. The Clean Ocean Foundation Port Phillip Beaches Medical Log is set to become a powerful tool in convincing governments at all levels to SPEND on adequate sewerage and stormwater solutions for Melbourne and surrounds. Eye or ear infections, rashes, bacterial skin infections (ulcerations) after swimming/sailing/diving? Let us know, with your details so that we can follow up: info@cleanocean.org

EPA lets us down

Well, we had all sorts of assurances from the Victorian EPA that this year's Beach Report program for the 36 beaches of Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay was going to be sooooo much better this year.

Then they simply didn't roster anyone to update forecasts for Boxing Day following big Christmas night rains ... and put thousands of Victorians at risk.

Not good enough!

Read The Age's story here