State of the Environment

2006

Indicator: IW-22 Exceedance of biological and chemical water quality triggers

Data

Reported emissions to inland waters from National Pollutant Inventory facilities (kg)
  2001 2004   Number of facilites > 10 km from coast reporting emissions to water
Substance From facilities 10-50 km from coast From facilities >50 km from coast Total for facilities > 10 km from coast From facilities 10-50 km from coast From facilities >50 km from coast Total for facilities > 10 km from coast Percent change from 2001 to 2004 2001 2004
Total nitrogen 36 462 128 1 950 869 38 412 997 2 493 071 1 643 984 4 137 056 -89 127 98
Sulfuric acid 39 440 2 100 41 540 1 333 771 1 920 1 335 691 3 115 26 23
Ammonia (total) 15 450 626 125 044 15 575 670 915 136 318 054 1 233 189 -92 74 106
Manganese & compounds 38 922 5 995 44 917 1 091 630 57 028 1 148 659 2 457 37 121
Total phosphorus 8 735 614 267 325 9 002 939 655 709 178 811 834 521 -91 118 83
Oxides of nitrogen 0 0 0 25 639 651 943 677 582 0 12 61
Total volatile organic compounds 2 111 167 213 169 324 295 065 746 295 811 75 80 205
Ethanol 57 224 2 000 59 224 290 313 118 290 431 390 5 16
Zinc and compounds 66 334 86 052 152 386 265 019 20 975 285 994 88 62 124
Chlorine 381 304 14 909 396 212 209 688 1 876 211 563 -47 48 60
Copper & compounds 23 814 5 433 29 248 87 518 56 836 144 355 394 70 145
Fluoride compounds 1 276 162 22 656 1 298 818 90 183 22 165 112 349 -91 134 102
Hydrogen sulfide 16 700 168 16 868 59 665 4 650 64 315 281 2 58
Cobalt & compounds 606 31 770 32 376 29 339 16 280 45 619 41 55 52
Nickel & compounds 5 835 754 6 590 13 173 19 161 32 334 391 60 126
Cyanide (inorganic) compounds 2 043 110 2 153 1 060 21 543 22 602 950 11 13
Lead & compounds 23 067 21 288 44 355 16 015 6 120 22 134 -50 126 138
Boron & compounds 37 137 265 37 402 7 686 5 004 12 690 -66 22 48
Toluene (methylbenzene) 334 2 622 2 956 7 619 64 7 683 160 114 181
Xylenes (individual or mixed isomers) 330 1 529 1 860 5 666 34 5 700 206 94 184
Arsenic & compounds 4 664 2 930 7 594 2 044 3 292 5 336 -30 122 137
Chromium (III) compounds 3 933 109 4 042 955 1 616 2 571 -36 61 82
Benzene 893 1 751 2 644 1 981 32 2 013 -24 108 153
Chromium (VI) compounds 3 539 285 3 824 1 384 492 1 877 -51 58 103
Cadmium & compounds 2 005 1 132 3 137 1 531 313 1 844 -41 98 117
Phosphoric acid 16 188 0 16 188 0 1 500 1 500 -91 2 10
Ethylene glycol (1 2-ethanediol) 739 0 739 720 0 720 -3 5 48
Phenol 76 6 071 6 147 173 487 660 -89 27 46
Ethylbenzene 64 143 208 474 36 510 146 92 153
Antimony & compounds 28 7 34 133 58 191 454 44 28
Selenium & compounds 277 50 328 68 101 169 -48 15 24
Beryllium & compounds 1 11 12 88 47 135 1 061 45 97
Mercury & compounds 120 7 127 28 64 92 -27 89 115
Cumene (1-methylethylbenzene) 475 30 506 20 29 49 -90 74 132
n-Hexane 318 26 344 18 27 45 -87 63 138
Cyclohexane 315 11 326 12 14 26 -92 30 45
Styrene (ethenylbenzene) 88   88 10   10 -89 1 1

Source: National Pollutant Inventory 2006, Download facility emission data, viewed N/A, http://www.npi.gov.au/cgi-bin/npidownload.pl?proc=fac

What the data mean

Increased emissions to inland waters have been reported to the National Pollutant Inventory from facilities for a number of substances between 2001 and 2004, notably sulphuric acid, manganese, copper, ethanol, zinc and total volatile organic compounds, while reported emissions from facilities have declined for ammonia, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, fluoride and chlorine. Total nitrogen is the greatest pollutant of inland waters from facilities, followed by sulphuric acid, ammonia, manganese, total phosphorus and oxides of nitrogen.

The 90 substances included in the NPI have been selected on the basis of their potential effects on health and the environment, and have a range of toxicities. A small emission of one highly toxic substance may be more important than a large emission of a far less toxic material.

Data Limitations

National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) data are estimates of the amounts of substances that Australian industrial facilities emit to air, water and land during a given year. There are approved techniques used to estimate emissions but it is important to note that the accuracy of these estimates is likely to vary according to the technique used.

The data relate only to emissions from facilities that emit sufficient quantities of pollutants to be required to report under the NPI. At this stage the apparent steady increase in reported emissions to the land over the years of the NPI is probably more indicative of facilities coming on board with reporting than of actual increases in emissions. Ultimately, however, it is expected that the trends will be indicative of changes in actual emissions.

Some receiving water beyond the 10km coastal zone could be estuarine or connected to salt water and therefore not indicative of emissions to freshwater systems..

Issues for which this is an indicator and why

Inland Waters —Habitat scale influences — Water Quality (for surface and groundwater) - Other pollutants 

Biological and chemical pollution of waterways can result in loss of aquatic species. Number of exceedences of water quality triggers for biological and chemical contaminants is a direct measure of the pressure of these pollutants on inland waters.

Other indicators for this issue:

Human Settlements — Liveability of human settlements - Water quality 

Water quality can be diminished through chemical and biological pollutants. Number of exceedences of water quality triggers for these pollutants is a direct measure of this pressure on both human and environmental water supply.

Other indicators for this issue:

Further Information

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