And land managers across the region are reporting a constant stream of incidents each year, with Parks Victoria detecting more than 100 over the past 12 months, while the City of Greater Bendigo had 352 litter collection requests in the current financial year. 

The latest in a series of dumps occurred at the Upper Coliban reservoir, near Kyneton, where engine parts, oil cans and mattresses were discarded close to the body of water.

Coliban Water’s manager of community operations Mick Dunne said over the past year there has been an increase in people leaving rubbish at Lauriston, Upper Coliban and Malmsbury reservoirs.

Read more: Rubbish dump anger

“The oil leaking from engine parts is a pollution risk to reservoirs and waterways. On this occasion we were able to contain the spill and clean up the oil, but these incidents can have an affect on the quality of the raw water supplied to our Kyneton, Castlemaine and Bendigo water treatment plants,” he said.

The latest discovery follows a series of incidents at the Bendigo Water Reclamation Plant in Epsom, which has been perennially targeted by vandals, some of were using it a “skid pan”, while also dumping rubbish. 

There have been around 10 incidents of illegal dumping of engine parts and household waste at Upper Coliban Reservoir in the past 12 months, according to Coliban Water. 

Prior to this, there has only been isolated incidents rubbish being left on Coliban Water sites.

The company was increasing surveillance across all of its sites, but was also reliant on the community to report any sightings of illegal dumping, Mr Dunne said, urging the community to report any incidents to the Environment Protection Authority.

“We have recreation areas at our reservoirs with toilets and electric barbeques. We ask visitors to keep in mind that when they leave, they take their rubbish with them or use the bins provided,” Mr Dunne said.

Coliban Water’s catchment storages on the Coliban River provide raw water for around 130,000 people and a wide range of businesses.   

Land managers across the region say dumping is an ongoing, time-consuming issue.

More than 100 incidents of rubbish dumping in parks and reserves around Bendigo have been detected by rangers or reported to Parks Victoria in the past 12 months, varying in size from bags of rubbish to dumps of industrial waste. 

Read more: EPA encourages residents to report illegal rubbish dumping

“The rate of rubbish dumping in the unique and special parks and reserves managed by Parks Victoria remains relatively stable. It is an ongoing issue that diverts the time and resources of Parks Victoria staff. It also places the public, staff and the environment at risk,” Parks Victoria Area Chief Ranger Karen Doyle said.

“We are continually disappointed to see people leaving their rubbish in parks and reserves. We see many instances of building and household waste, including asbestos, being dumped around Bendigo.”

Ms Doyle said waste can contaminate local water supplies; garden clippings can spread invasive weeds into the bush and household waste can poison animals and birds.

“We ask that people take their rubbish to the nearest transfer station and their litter home with them to both protect the environment and to ensure that other visitors can enjoy these special places,” she said.

Litter collection requests lodged with the City of Greater Bendigo have remained relatively stable over the past two financial years, in 2016-2017 there were 343 requests, while 2017-2018 was slightly higher, at 352.

A spokesperson for the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning said illegal dumping of rubbish in state forests and on Crown land was an ongoing issue for the department.

“The dumping of rubbish anywhere except at an authorised landfill is illegal.  Dumped rubbish causes environmental problems such as pollution of land and groundwater, it can produce odour and dust as well as possibly impacting on wildlife and encouraging vermin,” the spokesperson said. 

The City of Greater Bendigo is considering a hard waste collection as part of its waste review, due to be completed this year.

Police have been involved in a small amount of illegal dumping incidents over the past two years.

Inspector Shane Brundell said while dumping of domestic and industrial waste was a prosecutable offence, it fell within the remit of local councils, land managers and the Environment Protection Authority.

“Police have very little involvement with illegal dumping but that’s not to say we don’t have a role to play,” Inspector Brundell said.

The EPA has an illegal dumping strikeforce program aimed at reducing large-scale dumping of industrial waste throughout Victoria.

Read more: Councils divided on hard rubbish collection

In 2016—17, EPA issued 77 remedial notices to stop or clean up illegally dumped waste and initiated five court proceedings for the practice. 

No localised figures were available.

EPA urges members of the community to report illegal dumping of commercial, industrial or large-scale waste to EPA on 1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC) or online at epa.vic.gov.au.