Impact & Risk Assessment
LATERAL evaluate the impact of proposed actions associated with project construction, expansion and operations on downstream receiving environments, values and ecosystem function. Water related risk is assessed considering the likelihood and consequence of environmental effects (both adverse and beneficial) with mitigation measures or offsets recommended, where adverse impacts can be expected. This allows our clients to make informed decisions, mitigate future water management issues and ensure license and approval conditions are met. Together with our clients, we ensure there is no unacceptable risk of harm to public health or the environment.
LATERAL adopts a decision-making based approach to Impact & Risk Assessment using the Source-Pathway-Receptor (SPR) model, as advocated by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER), summarised as follows:
- Identification of potential contaminants including the sources, type, volumes, and concentrations;
- Identification of potential contaminant pathways and the sensitive environmental receptors that may be adversely affected;
- An assessment of the consequence and likelihood of the risk event occurring;
- Consideration of cumulative impacts within local and regional context (if any); and
- Determination on whether the risk event is acceptable, tolerated or unacceptable and not tolerated.
