Water Minister Dave Kelly today announced that the installation of specialised traps designed to capture plastic and floating litter on stormwater drains at Herdsman Lake had been completed under a new Water Corporation trial funded by the McGowan Government.
Three Gross Pollutant Traps (GPTs) have been fitted to drainage inlets and outlets at the lake, which is an important urban habitat for waterbirds and other native fauna.
The two-year trial will assess the devices' effectiveness and determine operational requirements such as maintenance and litter disposal.
Installed by Aboriginal-owned business Benang Energy, the GPTs include two floating litter traps on the lake's western and southern perimeter, and a floating litter boom on the north-eastern boundary.
Each trap is designed to capture floating litter and organic material which can impact wildlife, degrade aquatic habitats and leach contaminants into waterways. Their performance will be independently monitored over the trial period.
This trial will also support the WA Government's Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030, and complement the election commitment of $13 million by the McGowan Labor Government to install gross pollutant traps at seven Water Corporation storm drains.
The election commitment will also help fund research on a number of projects to prevent and reduce ocean pollution, including monitoring to determine pollutants in the Water Corporation's main drains.
As stated by Water Minister Dave Kelly:
"By exploring new and innovative ways of reducing single-use plastics in our waterways, this trial further demonstrates the McGowan Government's commitment to protecting the environment for future generations.
"Herdsman Lake is such an ecologically important site, which makes it an ideal trial location.
"The insights gained over the next two years will inform the installation of other GPTs across Perth and deliver what we hope to be some really positive environmental outcomes.
"This is just one way we're moving towards a more sustainable, low-waste, circular economy under the WA Government's Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030."
As stated by Churchlands MLA Christine Tonkin:
"In recent weeks I have been participating in lake-side 'clean ups' around Lake Monger and I have seen first-hand the extent of litter that finds its way into that lake.
"I am therefore delighted to share in the announcement of this important initiative by the McGowan Government.
"The trialling of gross pollutant traps at Herdsman Lake is a great first step to reducing the impact of this form of pollution. I am hopeful that this trial will guide how we use these traps in our other precious wetlands.
"The members of the Wetlands and Bush Habitats Working Group, chaired by Dr Don McFarlane that I have recently formed in the Churchlands electorate, will doubtless be as interested as I am in the outcomes of this important trial."
