Data

Effluent and seawater sampling data from wastewater treatment plant outfalls (NESP MaC 2.4)

University of Tasmania, Australia
Doblin, Martina ; Nguyen, Thi Minh Hong ; Seymour, Justin
Viewed: [[ro.stat.viewed]] Cited: [[ro.stat.cited]] Accessed: [[ro.stat.accessed]]
ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2FANDS&rft_id=info:doi10.25959/648J-HR45&rft.title=Effluent and seawater sampling data from wastewater treatment plant outfalls (NESP MaC 2.4)&rft.identifier=10.25959/648J-HR45&rft.description=This project determined the ecological effect of coastal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outfalls in two different coastal settings. Treated effluent, seawater, and marine sediments were collected from two WWTP outfalls located in South Australia (Glenelg & St Kilda). This is a shallow and retentive receiving environment and may accumulate effluent contaminants. Additionally, sediments were collected from another WWTP outfall in New South Wales (Malabar). This deep-water outfall discharges into a highly dispersive environment and offers a point of comparison for contaminant retention with the outfalls located in South Australia. Work focused on five contaminants that water quality managers had identified in previous NESP MaC work (Project 1.16) as being highly important: nutrients and metals (traditional effluent pollutants); and antibiotics, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and microplastics (contaminants of emerging concern). This record describes the results from the wastewater (effluent) and sea water sampling component of this study. Results from the sediment sampling are described separately by the record 'Sediment sampling data from wastewater treatment plant outfalls' (https://doi.org/10.25959/6W34-6993).***EMBARGO NOTE***: Data is embargoed until publication of the final project report (estimated mid-2026).Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlannedStatement: ---Wastewater (effluent) samples--- 24-hour composite effluent samples were collected from the Glenelg and Bolivar (St Kilda) WWTPs. Effluent was stored at -20 °C and thawed immediately prior to contaminant analysis. ---Seawater samples--- Seawater samples were collected from around the Glenelg and St Kilda outfalls along transects running in four directions from the outfall (the ‘origin’), identified using locations listed in the National Outfalls Database. Transects were run in the direction of local currents (NNW-SSE for Glenelg, NE-SW for St Kilda), and in a perpendicular west-east direction. Along each transect, samples were taken at 0 m, 20 m, 100 m, and 1,000 m from the outfall source. The '0 m' samples were taken as close as possible to the pollution source, with some constraints about boat maneuverability in shallow water and against the force of outflow discharges. Samples were collected using a 5 L Niskin bottle deployed to 1 m from the sea floor. Three Niskin bottles were taken at each site (n = 3), with additional Niskin bottles (n = 3) collected for PFAS analysis. Samples were immediately transferred into polyethylene bottles and stored on ice for transport to the lab. --Analysis--- Effluent and seawater were analysed for physicochemical and water quality properties, chlorophyll a, abundance of waterborne microbial assemblages, nutrients, metals, PFAS and microplastics. Antimicrobials were additionally measured in effluent samples. Full analysis methodology is contained within the Project 2.4 final report.&rft.creator=Doblin, Martina &rft.creator=Nguyen, Thi Minh Hong &rft.creator=Seymour, Justin &rft.date=2025&rft.coverage=westlimit=138.493; southlimit=-34.9719; eastlimit=138.5067; northlimit=-34.9545&rft.coverage=westlimit=138.493; southlimit=-34.9719; eastlimit=138.5067; northlimit=-34.9545&rft.coverage=westlimit=138.4531; southlimit=-34.7215; eastlimit=138.4741; northlimit=-34.7004&rft.coverage=westlimit=138.4531; southlimit=-34.7215; eastlimit=138.4741; northlimit=-34.7004&rft_rights=This dataset is hosted by the University of Tasmania, on behalf of the University of Technology Sydney and NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Project 2.4.&rft_rights=Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/&rft_rights=Cite data as: Doblin, M., Nguyen, T. M. H., & Seymour, J. (2025). Effluent and seawater sampling data from wastewater treatment plant outfalls [Data set]. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. https://doi.org/10.25959/648J-HR45&rft_rights=Data was sourced from the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub – the Marine and Coastal Hub is supported through funding from the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program (NESP), administered by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.&rft_subject=PFAS&rft_subject=Antimicrobials&rft_subject=Microplastics&rft_subject=HEAVY METALS&rft_subject=OCEAN CONTAMINANTS&rft_subject=EARTH SCIENCE&rft_subject=OCEANS&rft_subject=WATER QUALITY&rft_subject=CONTAMINANTS&rft_subject=TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE&rft_subject=WATER QUALITY/WATER CHEMISTRY&rft_subject=Coastal Cities / Towns (Australia) | Coastal Cities / Towns (Australia) | Sydney, NSW&rft_subject=Coastal Cities / Towns (Australia) | Coastal Cities / Towns (Australia) | Adelaide, SA&rft.type=dataset&rft.language=English Access the data
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

This dataset is hosted by the University of Tasmania, on behalf of the University of Technology Sydney and NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Project 2.4.

Cite data as: Doblin, M., Nguyen, T. M. H., & Seymour, J. (2025). Effluent and seawater sampling data from wastewater treatment plant outfalls [Data set]. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. https://doi.org/10.25959/648J-HR45

Data was sourced from the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub – the Marine and Coastal Hub is supported through funding from the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program (NESP), administered by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

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Full description

This project determined the ecological effect of coastal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outfalls in two different coastal settings. Treated effluent, seawater, and marine sediments were collected from two WWTP outfalls located in South Australia (Glenelg & St Kilda). This is a shallow and retentive receiving environment and may accumulate effluent contaminants. Additionally, sediments were collected from another WWTP outfall in New South Wales (Malabar). This deep-water outfall discharges into a highly dispersive environment and offers a point of comparison for contaminant retention with the outfalls located in South Australia.

Work focused on five contaminants that water quality managers had identified in previous NESP MaC work (Project 1.16) as being highly important: nutrients and metals (traditional effluent pollutants); and antibiotics, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and microplastics (contaminants of emerging concern).

This record describes the results from the wastewater (effluent) and sea water sampling component of this study. Results from the sediment sampling are described separately by the record 'Sediment sampling data from wastewater treatment plant outfalls' (https://doi.org/10.25959/6W34-6993).

***EMBARGO NOTE***: Data is embargoed until publication of the final project report (estimated mid-2026).

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned
Statement: ---Wastewater (effluent) samples--- 24-hour composite effluent samples were collected from the Glenelg and Bolivar (St Kilda) WWTPs. Effluent was stored at -20 °C and thawed immediately prior to contaminant analysis. ---Seawater samples--- Seawater samples were collected from around the Glenelg and St Kilda outfalls along transects running in four directions from the outfall (the ‘origin’), identified using locations listed in the National Outfalls Database. Transects were run in the direction of local currents (NNW-SSE for Glenelg, NE-SW for St Kilda), and in a perpendicular west-east direction. Along each transect, samples were taken at 0 m, 20 m, 100 m, and 1,000 m from the outfall source. The '0 m' samples were taken as close as possible to the pollution source, with some constraints about boat maneuverability in shallow water and against the force of outflow discharges. Samples were collected using a 5 L Niskin bottle deployed to 1 m from the sea floor. Three Niskin bottles were taken at each site (n = 3), with additional Niskin bottles (n = 3) collected for PFAS analysis. Samples were immediately transferred into polyethylene bottles and stored on ice for transport to the lab. --Analysis--- Effluent and seawater were analysed for physicochemical and water quality properties, chlorophyll a, abundance of waterborne microbial assemblages, nutrients, metals, PFAS and microplastics. Antimicrobials were additionally measured in effluent samples. Full analysis methodology is contained within the Project 2.4 final report.

Notes

Credit
National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal Hub
Credit
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), Australian Government
Credit
In addition to NESP (DCCEEW) funding, this project is matched by an equivalent amount of in-kind support and co-investment from project partners and collaborators.

Issued: 09 07 2025

Data time period: 2023-01-01 to 2023-12-31

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138.5067,-34.9545 138.5067,-34.9719 138.493,-34.9719 138.493,-34.9545 138.5067,-34.9545

138.49985,-34.9632

138.4741,-34.7004 138.4741,-34.7215 138.4531,-34.7215 138.4531,-34.7004 138.4741,-34.7004

138.4636,-34.71095

text: westlimit=138.493; southlimit=-34.9719; eastlimit=138.5067; northlimit=-34.9545

text: westlimit=138.4531; southlimit=-34.7215; eastlimit=138.4741; northlimit=-34.7004

Subjects
Antimicrobials | CONTAMINANTS | Coastal Cities / Towns (Australia) | Coastal Cities / Towns (Australia) | Adelaide, SA | Coastal Cities / Towns (Australia) | Coastal Cities / Towns (Australia) | Sydney, NSW | EARTH SCIENCE | HEAVY METALS | Microplastics | OCEAN CONTAMINANTS | OCEANS | PFAS | TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE | WATER QUALITY | WATER QUALITY/WATER CHEMISTRY |

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Other Information

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local : 03f0f6041

local : 0000-0003-0772-9534

Project RAiD

doi : 10.71676/94b5cc7b

Identifiers