PFAS assessment and management at Torrens Island Power Station

Overview

Senversa have been assisting AGL since 2021 to assess and manage potential impacts from PFAS at the AGL Torrens Island site.

The assessment was triggered by a directive from the South Australian Environment Protection Authority (EPA) in 2017 where all licence holders in the state were required to assess groundwater for PFAS in areas where fire-fighting training had historically occurred. AGL Torrens Island Power Station was one of these sites where fire training had historically occurred and groundwater assessments were subsequently completed to assess for the presence of PFAS in groundwater.

Following a groundwater monitoring event (GME) conducted at the site in May 2021, PFAS were identified in groundwater which prompted EPA to request AGL to enter into a voluntary site contamination assessment proposal (VSCAP), with a restricted scope site contamination audit, for the effective regulation of the site.

Senversa have assisted AGL with the audited VSCAP process which was subsequently entered into between AGL and the EPA in March 2022.

To date, Senversa have completed completed various assessments under a voluntary site contamination assessment proposal (VSCAP), including:

• a preliminary site investigation (PSI).
• a staged detailed site investigation (DSI) involving sampling within various media onsite and/or within the adjacent estuarine environment.
• preparation of a human health and ecological risk assessment (HHERA).
• supplementary biannual groundwater monitoring events (under a prepared groundwater monitoring and management plan (GMMP))
• a supplementary ecological survey within the estuarine environment.
• preparation of a remediation options assessment (ROA).