EPA Victoria has investigated an incident at the milk processing facility operated by Longwarry Food Park Pty Ltd. We were informed of the issue via a community report on Saturday 18 January, with reports of an odour coming from Mackey drain in the Longwarry township.
EPA Environment Protection Officers (EPOs) detected partially treated milk processing waste being discharged from the site’s waste water treatment plant at an unlicensed location. This has entered Mackey drain and the Bunyip River.
Longwarry Food Park is licensed by EPA (EM32127) to discharge treated waste into Mackey drain. EPOs have issued statutory notices (62B and Minor Works Pollution Abatement Notice) to Longwarry Food Park to cease the discharge. This has been complied with and the discharge has stopped.
Bunyip River water quality has not been affected at this stage. We have notified Melbourne Water and Southern Rural Water to enable them to notify any downstream water users and offtakes.