Victoria’s atmosphere watchdog will check water and soil in flood-hit communities throughout the state to assist with clean-up efforts.

The Environmental Safety Authority’s chief environmental scientist, Professor Mark Taylor, mentioned the watchdog had already began testing floodwaters in Melbourne’s interior west.

“By testing the flood water and soil we get a greater understanding of any potential contamination points, particularly in these areas the toughest hit by the floods,” Taylor mentioned right this moment.

Further water high quality screens had been positioned within the Maribyrnong River and outcomes would feed into a brand new web site to monitor the river on the EPA web site, he mentioned.

“Our Maribyrnong River E. coli outcomes from yesterday have come again low, nonetheless we all know that floodwaters carry a spread of dangers, together with micro organism, so we suggest persevering with to keep away from contact with waters,” Taylor mentioned.

EPA officers have already began going door to door to gather soil samples in Maribyrnong and particular person outcomes will likely be given on to property house owners.

General outcomes can be handed on to councils to assist inform clean-up efforts, Taylor mentioned.

The samples will likely be analysed for E. coli, hint parts akin to metals, and natural chemical substances akin to PFAS and petroleum hydrocarbons.

“We perceive it is a tough time for a lot of Victorians and we’ll proceed to supply data that can be utilized to scale back the dangers they face,” Taylor mentioned.

The testing can be rolled out throughout to different flood-hit components of the state, he mentioned.