Australia OGTR Guidelines for Certification of a PC2 Plant Facility (Version 3.2) A1: Flood and storm surge risk assessment and plan

What does A1 require?

If the facility's location is prone to floods or storm surges, the risk of GMOs escaping in such an event must be assessed, taking into account the GMOs held there, how likely flooding or surges are and what they would lead to, and any design features of the facility that could lessen that risk. Where the assessment finds more than a negligible risk, a risk management plan for managing escape of GMOs caused by the flood or surge must be prepared; it must take into account whether the resources needed to carry it out will be available during the event, and it must be given to the Regulator on request. The guideline encourages anyone planning such a facility who means to seek certification to contact the OGTR before or during planning, and gives as examples of what a plan might include removing or destroying GMOs and decontaminating all water in the primary and secondary containers and the effluent treatment system well before the water arrives. Flooding here covers mainstream flooding (water overtopping the natural or built banks of a catchment's principal watercourses, from a river, creek, lake, estuary or the coast), flash flooding (occurring within six hours of the rain that causes it) and stormwater flooding (local runoff beyond what an urban stormwater drainage system can carry); a storm surge means coastal water levels rising, driven by a storm's or cyclone's low pressure and by wind pushing water towards the shore. A facility is treated as prone if a flood or storm surge of 100 year Average Recurrence Interval (ARI) would put water over its floor (equal to the flood level expected once in 100 years, that is a 1% Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP)); where the local authority cannot supply the 100 year ARI level, the highest ARI or Defined Flood level that authority uses is taken instead. For prone facilities, the flooding details should cover the likely effective warning time before inundation and hazards that could stop the risk management procedures being carried out (such as staff being unable to get to the facility), and applicants should expect the Regulator to ask for more detail while assessing the application.