Biological data from the Environmental Impact Assessment of the Davis Sewage Outfall

Untreated, macerated wastewater effluent has been discharged to the sea at Davis Station since 2005, when the old wastewater treatment infrastructure was removed. This environmental assessment was instigated to guide the choice of the most suitable wastewater treatment facility at Davis. The assessment will support decisions that enable Australia to meet the standards set for the discharge of wastewaters in Antarctica in national legislation (Waste Management Regulations of the Antarctic Treaty Environmental Protection Act - ATEP) and to meet international commitments (the Madrid Protocol) and to meet Australia's aspirations to be a leader in Antarctic environmental protection.
The overall objective was to provide environmental information in support of an operational infrastructure project to upgrade wastewater treatment at Davis. This information is required to ensure that the upgrade satisfies national legislation (ATEP/Waste Management Regulations), international commitments (the Madrid Protocol) and maintain the AAD's status as an international leader in environmental management. The specific objectives were to:
1. Wastewater properties: Determine the properties of discharged wastewater (contaminant levels, toxicity, microbiological hazards) as the basis for recommendations on the required level of treatment and provide further consideration of what might constitute adequate dilution and dispersal for discharge to the nearshore marine environment
2. Dispersal and dilution characteristics of marine environment: Assess the dispersing characteristics of the immediate nearshore marine environment in the vicinity of Davis Station to determine whether conditions at the existing site of effluent discharge are adequate to meet the ATEP requirement of initial dilution and rapid dispersal.
3. Environmental impacts: Describe the nature and extent of impacts to the marine environment associated with present wastewater discharge practices at Davis and determine whether wastewater discharge practices have adversely affected the local environment.
4. Evaluate treatment options: Evaluate the different levels of treatment required to mitigate and/or prevent various environmental impacts and reduce environmental risks.

自2005年旧污水处理设施拆除以来，戴维斯站（Davis Station）一直将未经处理的浸解废水排放物排入海洋。本次环境评估旨在为戴维斯站遴选最合适的污水处理设施提供决策支撑。本评估将助力澳大利亚满足本国立法中针对南极地区废水排放制定的标准，即《南极条约环境保护法》（Antarctic Treaty Environmental Protection Act，ATEP）中的《废物管理条例》，同时履行国际承诺（《马德里议定书》），并达成澳大利亚成为南极环境保护国际引领者的目标。

本次评估的总体目标为提供环境相关信息，以支撑戴维斯站污水处理升级这一运营基础设施项目。相关信息需确保升级方案符合本国立法（ATEP/废物管理条例）、国际承诺（《马德里议定书》），并维持澳大利亚南极署（Australian Antarctic Division，AAD）在环境管理领域的国际领先地位。具体目标如下：
1. 废水特性调研：明确排放废水的各项特性（污染物水平、毒性、微生物危害），以此作为制定所需处理等级建议的基础，并进一步探讨近岸海洋环境排放所需的合理稀释与扩散方案。
2. 海洋环境扩散与稀释特性评估：评估戴维斯站周边近岸海域的扩散特性，判断现有废水排放场地的条件是否足以满足ATEP规定的初始稀释与快速扩散要求。
3. 环境影响分析：阐明戴维斯站当前废水排放方式对海洋环境造成影响的性质与范围，确定此类排放行为是否已对当地环境产生不利影响。
4. 处理方案评估：评估为缓解和/或预防各类环境影响、降低环境风险所需的不同等级污水处理方案。