We got this wrong: the condensate discharge

We discharged condensate into the stormwater drainage system in a way that was not in accordance with our permit. That was a compliance failure and we are not going to describe it as anything else.

The condensate is water that forms from the steam used to heat paraffin oil in a heat exchanger. It is essentially distilled water and does not come into contact with raw materials or waste. When the condensate recycling system malfunctioned, a discharge point into the stormwater drainage system was installed as a temporary workaround, without management authorisation. The water authority identified it during its February inspection, and the discharge was stopped immediately.

We had the condensate tested as part of the wider investigation. It contained only minimal detectable levels of the metals at issue — around 20 micrograms per liter of aluminum, against a statutory groundwater threshold of 200. The odour noticed at the discharge point is most likely from paraffin oil, which has a distinct smell when heated.

None of that changes the compliance failure. A favourable test result does not make an unauthorised discharge acceptable, and the fact that an unauthorised workaround could be installed at all tells us that our controls and our escalation routes were not good enough.