Gold Coast City Council says a $2.1 million sewage spill on the will not cost ratepayers.

The council is facing a $2.1 million bill for environmental improvements after 450 million litres of raw sewage leaked into the Albert River. 

Despite the financial impact, the council has assured that ratepayers will not bear extra costs.

The spill, which occurred between January and April 2024, is one of Queensland’s worst environmental incidents. 

The leak, caused by a burst pipe, went undetected for 88 days.

Following a Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) investigation, the council is under an enforceable undertaking to improve sewage infrastructure, boost leak detection, and conduct long-term water monitoring. 

The council is also expected to issue a formal “statement of regret”.

Brad Wirth, DESI’s executive director for South East Compliance, says the council chose compliance measures to avoid prosecution, which would have been more costly for ratepayers. 

Reports say the council has already spent $230,000 on independent reports to assess both the cause of the spill and its environmental impact.

DESI contested the council's claim that the $1.2 million water quality monitoring program was already planned, stating it was not part of the original commitments.

The environmental impact was significant, with dissolved oxygen levels in the river dropping to critically low levels, creating a 6.7-kilometre “dead zone” that affected fish populations. However, Acting Mayor Donna Gates said the fast-flowing river helped limit long-term damage. 

“There were no real consequences,” Gates said.

Environmental restoration works across the Albert and Logan River estuaries are required, but environmentalists argue that long-term monitoring is necessary to fully assess the impacts on wildlife and ecosystems.

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