Environmental groups are calling for more regulations surrounding pollution of waterways from coal fired power stations in Victoria’s Latrobe valley.
Large quantities of excess coal ash is stored in dams at the power plants to prevent damage to the atmosphere, however recent research has shown the effects coal ash leaching can have on local waterways.
Tracey Anton from the Friends of Latrobe Water says coal ash contributes toxic pollutants such as arsenic and mercury into the waterways, and failure to clean up coal ash properly could see higher concentrations of pollutants leach from groundwater into surface waters.