Herdsman Lake has received three specialised pollutant traps, designed to capture plastic and floating litter on stormwater drains, as part of a WA-first trial announced by Western Australian Water Minister, Dave Kelly.
The Three Gross Pollutant Traps (GPTs), installed by Aboriginal-owned business Benang Energy, have been fitted to drainage inlets and outlets at the lake — under a new Water Corporation trial funded by the Western Australian Government.
The two-year trial will assess the devices’ effectiveness and determine operational requirements such as maintenance and litter disposal.
Mr Kelly said, “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.”
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.
Churchlands MLA, Christine Tonkin, said, “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.”
This trial also supports the WA Government’s Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 and complements the election commitment of $13 million by the Western Australian 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.
