ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATION SERVICES 
COMPANY INFORMATION AND RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
1 Introduction
Environmental Investigation Services (EIS) is a division of Jeffery and Katauskas Pty Ltd (J&K) a well established environmental and geotechnical consulting engineering company.
EIS has undertaken over 1,500 site assessments in the past 15 years. The firm has a skilled workforce of engineers, chemists, scientists and technicians with over fifty personnel in the Sydney office. The company also owns and operates four truck-mounted drill rigs and specialises in combined environmental, geotechnical and groundwater investigations. Our investigations are tailored to meet a range of requirements from in-house environmental studies to EPA and external Site Auditor guidelines. The New South Wales based company structure enables us to offer practical solutions to environmental problems at very competitive rates.
EIS has experience in a wide range of environmental investigation issues including:
- Installation of groundwater monitoring wells
- Soil contamination assessment
- Groundwater contamination assessment
- Hydrogeological parameter assessment
- Groundwater monitoring and modelling
- Acid Sulfate Soil assessment and preparation of Management Plans
- Preparation of Remedial Action Plans for sites with contamination issues
- Supervision of remedial works
- Assessment of soil salinity, sodicity and erosion conditions
- Preparation of Environmental Management Plans for all types of development projects
- Quality control and quality assurance assessment
- Soil/fill material and VENM classification for disposal purposes.
2 General Project Experience
EIS is an active member and is on the committee of the Australian Contaminated Land Consultants Association (ACLCA) and complies with the ACLCA Code of Ethics. EIS projects include residential lots for a 500ha subdivision at St Marys and, soil, groundwater and site rehabilitation assessment at the Rouse Hill Regional Centre. Selected projects that have been reviewed by an EPA accredited independent site auditor include:
- A former brickworks facility adjacent to a landfill. The heavy metal contaminated soil was removed and a cut-off wall was installed below ground level to reduce methane gas migration from the adjacent landfill. On completion of the remediation the site was suitable for residential housing.
- A Canberra site involving two adjacent service stations where the soil and groundwater
were heavily contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. All of the old underground storage tanks were removed and the entire site remediated using a combination of bioremediation and off-site disposal. The site was redeveloped as a new Woolworths Petrol-Plus service station and auto-repair facility. - A former car yard and vehicle maintenance facility within an industrial commercial area. Heavy fraction hydrocarbon contaminated soil was identified at several locations at the site. Remediation works included the removal of underground storage tanks, hydrocarbon contaminated natural material, subsurface drainage facilities, the disposal of contaminated soil, asbestos containing building materials and the beneficial re-use of excess soils. Following remediation works, the site was redeveloped as a supermarket complex.
- A former residential site adjacent to a creek line. Significant reclamation of the site with PAH, lead and zinc contaminated fill material had previously occurred. Site investigation works included the assessment of soil and groundwater conditions to identify the extent of the contaminated material and identify the most cost effective remedial options. Remediation works included the removal of the fill material to land fill and reinstatement of the site to the proposed development levels with VENM.
EIS is flexible in our response to the demands of individual projects in order to increase the likelihood of a successful outcome. Two examples of ‘non-standard’ responses to contaminated site issues are summarised below:
- Our client’s site was impacted by contaminated groundwater that originated from an
adjacent plating and galvanising works. After extensive investigation the case was taken to the Supreme Court with EIS acting as expert witness. The galvanising works was ordered to pay damages and take action to prevent contaminated groundwater flowing off their site. - A former industrial facility was found to have very high concentrations of polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the soil. Development of the site could not proceed without remediation. However, the PAH concentration was above the acceptable limit for Sydney landfills. EIS arranged for a catalytic oxidation unit to treat the soil on-site. The concentration of PAH in the soil was reduced to a level that was acceptable for the landfill. The soil was removed and the development proceeded. Staff at EIS routinely supplies information to clients on how to best manage contaminated land problems. The advice can range from cost estimates for specific site investigation and remediation to explanation of the financial/health/environmental implications of specific contaminated sites. The high throughput of projects has familiarised EIS staff with the broad range of issues associated with contaminated site investigations.
3 Team Availability
The project team consists of eight environmental engineers/scientists. Suitably qualified scientists or engineers routinely undertake EIS sampling and inspection activities. Technicians are used in support roles. A register of the professional development for all environmental staff is maintained by EIS and includes details of internal/external seminars, courses and meetings that have been attended. All environmental staff have completed the Australian Institute of Petroleum Work Clearance for the Contractors Training Scheme for work on service stations and the WorkCover ‘Green Card’ occupation health and safety course for work on building sites.
4 Equipment Availability
EIS also own or have access to a wide range of equipment that assists in the smooth running of a project and includes four drill rigs, a 4WD push tube rig, a Grunfos pump, low flow pumps, PIDs, groundwater monitoring equipment and methane meters. Ready availability of the equipment outlined above reduces EIS sub-contractual requirements and allows a greater degree of flexibility for personnel and projects.
5 Quality Assurance System
The company management practices are based on a fully documented Quality Assurance System and Occupational Health and Safety Policy that forms an essential and integral part of the complete service which is offered by the company in geotechnical and environmental engineering. The system is based on a policy which fundamentally assures efficiency in performance and conformance to the current standards of geotechnical and environmental engineering practice, and the OH&S Act of 2000, and also assures that the Company’s service meets with Client requirements and satisfaction. The directors are committed to adoption of the Quality System on every job as this provides the quality that clients expect and require.
The in-house Quality System was developed and first implemented in 1991 and is based on the Association of Consulting Engineers Australia (ACEA) 1990 Quality Systems Guidelines. Since then the Company has revised and upgraded the system in the light of ‘on the job’ usage and procedures, to more fully comply with AS3901. The quality policy has been reviewed and accepted by the NSW Department of Public Works and Services (Department of Commerce).