A dispute over the release of documents detailing untreated sewage discharges into Brisbane’s waterways has been escalated to the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC).
The move follows a five-and-a-half-month delay by the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation in responding to a Right to Information (RTI) request. The request, filed by Adam Bowden of the Stop Raw Sewage into SEQ Waterways group, seeks to quantify the volume of untreated wastewater entering the river system.
The department has identified 1,860 pages of relevant documents but has requested multiple extensions. After the legal timeframe was breached again on March 18, Bowden declined a further extension, triggering an independent review by the OIC.
“They confirmed they had this information months ago,” Bowden said. “This affects all of Brisbane. It’s about understanding exactly how much sewage is entering our waterways.”
The data is expected to clarify the volume of raw sewage released into the Brisbane River.
The impacts of the sewage release were exacerbated during the $210 million Bulimba-Hamilton Siphon Renewal Program. In January 2024, a pipe burst during restoration works on the 70-year-old infrastructure, flooding a subterranean tunnel.
While the siphon failure increased discharge volumes, the practice is part of a broader, regulated management strategy. Urban Utilities holds environmental permits that allow for wet-weather releases. These sanctioned overflows are designed to prevent sewage from backing up into residential areas during heavy rain events.
Estimates suggest approximately 540 megalitres of sewage and wastewater—roughly the volume of 216 Olympic-sized swimming pools—was discharged at Morningside over 18 months last year.
The environmental impact remains a point of contention. Enterococci bacteria levels, which can cause gastrointestinal and skin infections, have frequently exceeded safe recreational thresholds following rain.
Urban Utilities and Brisbane City Council maintain that public safety is managed through warning signage at Vic Lucas Park, Colmslie Reserve, and the Hamilton Northshore Rec Hub. However, Mr Bowden argues the current notification system is insufficient.
“We need better monitoring and urgent infrastructure upgrades,” he said. “The more people are aware of what is happening, the harder it is for the issue to be ignored.”
The OIC review will now determine the timeline for the release of the 1,860-page dossier.
