Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has issued Melbourne Water (MW) with a clean-up notice requiring it to remove a stockpile of sediment dredged from Stony Creek, downstream of Sommerville Road in Yarraville.
The notice follows EPA sampling of sediment found traces of asbestos. Routine sampling by MW also found lead, zinc and hydrocarbons consistent with urban catchments.
Detected asbestos is not in a respirable form and air monitoring confirmed asbestos was below detectable limits.
Independent testing has advised that the risk to human health is negligible to low.
The results were similar in another stockpile further downstream, south of Francis Street. MW is complying with EPA requirements to assess this stockpile and manage any risks associated with the use or disposal of the sediment.
To ensure the risk to the community remains low, both stockpiles are fenced and sign-posted to ensure no public access.
The sediment was dredged from the creek by MW as part of routine maintenance.
Further testing upstream of the stockpiles has returned no trace of asbestos.
EPA will continue testing and monitoring in the area and provide updates to the community as further information comes to hand.