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Environmental Health

Environmental Health is concerned with controlling environmental hazards; preserving and improving environmental factors for the achievement of optimum health, safety, comfort and well-being. The Environmental Health Officer (EHO) performs various duties in accordance with the Health Act, Local Laws and Regulations relating to matters such as the following:

  • Septic Tanks
  • Landfill
  • Wastewater
  • Public pool water testing
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Food Premises: inspections, registration and licencing, contamination and food poisoning

To ensure your food safety skills and knowledge are up to standard, try our free interactive training package by clicking on the link: www.northam.imalert.com.au.

Should you have any problems relating to any of the following: noise, dust, smoke, smell, insect, vermin and other health nuisance complaints, please contact the Shire's Manager of Executive Services or EHO who will investigate your concerns.

Noise

Unless you have made special arrangements with your neighbours, keep loud equipment noise to a reasonable time limit (2 hours) each day to keep the peace in the neighbourhood. Chainsaws, lawn mowers and motorbikes should not be used before 7am or after 7pm Monday to Saturday or before 9am on Sundays and public holidays. Permission from the owner is required for any use of motorbikes or chainsaws on property that you do not own. For parties, noise should be reduced after 7pm and kept to an absolute minimum after 10pm until 7am the next day or 9am on Sunday mornings.

For further information, please contact Council’s Environmental Health Officer on 9622 6100, visit the Council Offices at 395 Fitzgerald Street, Northam or e-mail [email protected].

Please refer to the individual tabswithin the Environmental Healthsection to obtain more detailed information on all of our services.

Shire Office Recycling

Containers are provided within the front reception area of the Shire Offices for the following items:

  • mobile phones
  • household batteries
  • household flourescent light bulbs and tubes
  • printer cartridges

DrumMUSTER

This program is aimed at recycling clean and dry drums from growers, farmers and chemical users throughout the country. Our local collections are usually conducted in April and September of each year at the Old Quarry Road Landfill Site. Once the containers are brought in, they are crushed or shredded and transformed into practical items such as plastic cable covers, wheelie bins and irrigation pipes. Check our main "News" section closer to the date for further details. To learn more about drumMuster click on our link to their new website: www.drummuster.com.au.

Floating Island - Northam Town Pool

The new island is constructed out of fibre reinforced plastics and consists of 33 individual modules. It allows for a 2 - 3 metre rise in water level and can withstand 800kg in weight. Experimental plantings for the group of islands have involved the use of approximately 400 different plants. Plants used to date are:

  • Melaleuca species (9) with the most common being M. rhafiophylla
  • Sporobolus virginicus (Native couch)
  • Enchylaena tomentosa (Ruby saltbush)
  • Juncus kraussii (Shore rush)
  • Cyperus gymnocaulus (Spiny flat sedge)
  • Frankenia pauciflora (Sea heath)

The island has been specifically designed to attract birds and provides an uneven surface resulting in small hollows with the aim of creating a suitable environment for the growth of alga, mosses and lichens. Four species of birds have been identified using the island and the Eurasian Coote (Fulicia altra) has been spotted nesting.

It is hoped that the addition of these islands in the Avon River will have a beneficial effect both as a habitat for birds and for the visual amenity. The health of the River is also expected to improve as the plants will absorb nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous which can cause problems when found in excess. The roots of the plants will float in the water and provide a nursery for fish species and habitat for macroinvertabrae. The structures themselves will shade the water and lower temperatures.

Free Mulch Available

The Shire of Northam is continuing its environmental initiative of mulching greenwaste at the Old Quarry Road Waste Facility and Inkpen Road Waste Facility.  Mulch is available free of charge to householders in the Shire and is limited in size to two trailer or ute loads.  Self-loading is required. This product may contain small amounts of plastic or metal.  

Any queries in relation to the proposal should be directed to the Shire Environmental Health Department on 9622 6100 or alternatively email [email protected]