On March 29, the EPA issued a developmental license to Water Sustainability Farms Pty Ltd, following an application process that began in 2021.

The water farm project would see solar drying evaporation basins constructed in Quantong for the processing of byproducts from nearby food manufacturing sites.

The EPA stated the proposal met all necessary requirements for the granting of a licence, which considers potential leakages at the site, the impact on the water table, noise and odour.

However, residents who have raised concerns since the beginning of the project about its effect on nearby properties have said the decision was "devastating".

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Quantong resident and recreation reserve president Sally Ison said the community felt like its concerns had fallen on deaf ears.

"I cannot comprehend the project being approved. It is absolutely appalling," she said.

"When there is so much land around that is not near houses, why do they have to place it there?

"The talk around the community is disgust, they feel like no one cares about them."

Ms Ison was one of the Quantong residents at the head of a movement seeking to fight the proposed wastewater farm and created a petition which saw more than 300 signatures against the project.

She said the residents' group was considering whether to escalate the decision to VCAT.

"That is being considered right this minute," she said.

"I think that Horsham Rural City Council has not been proactive for its constituents. They should be working for the people they have been appointed for."

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Two changes were made to the scope of the project for the granting of a developmental licence.

The wastewater farm will now only process brine by-product through solar drying pads, and will not process sludge byproduct, as initially proposed.

In addition, road access for the facility has been changed from Lanes Avenue to Linders Road.

Another Quantong resident Sharnee Lockheart lives almost 500m from the proposed site and said the community felt ignored by the council.

"We are very concerned about the value of our properties plummeting. The conditions the EPA have implemented, how are they going to be properly monitored.

"When we had the consultation meeting last year, personally invited (Mayor) Robyn Gulline, but she retracted from attending even though it was a mediated meeting between residents and the EPA.

"We just can't believe it is going where it is going. It needs to go somewhere else."

Residents will have 15 business days if they wish to lodge an appeal to the decision through VCAT.

To read the full EPA report on the facility, visit their website.

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