Sydney Water’s new overflow plan will release untreated sewage into our river jewels

UPDATE: Labor’s Luke Foley has slammed the plan to build 25 outflow pipes to empty sewage into NSW waterways, blaming government ‘gouging’ $1b from Sydney Water in dividends.

NSW opposition leader Luke Foley at Mrs Macquaries chair in Sydney today decries the plan to build outflow pipes. icture: John Grainger

• State accused of taking cash that should be spent on upgrades

• Sydney Water forced to look at ‘cheap and nasty solutions’

• They will be polluting Parramatta River like they did 100 years ago’

• 25 outfalls to affect Mosman, Concord, Shellharbour and Wollongong

Opposition Leader Luke Foley said Sydney was heading back in time with its plan to pump more effluent into Sydney’s waterways.

The Daily Telegraph revealed this morning that the state government was about to start work on the first of 25 overflow pipes that will take the pressure off failing infrastructure.

“The government is gouging almost $1 billion from Sydney Water customers in dividends and payments,” Mr Foley said at a press conference beside the Harbour at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair.

“This means Sydney Water is forced to look at cheap and nasty solutions for managing wastewater, which includes dumping raw sewage straight into Sydney Harbour.

NSW shadow minister for the environment Penny Sharp & NSW opposition leader Luke Foley at Mrs Macquaries chair in Sydeny.pic John Grainger

“This is taking Sydney back to the days of the horse and buggy and tossing bed pans in the gutter,” he said.

Residents near Drummoyne Wharf, where the new overflow pipe is about to be installed, are already dealing with raw sewage inundating their homes during storms and are calling for a review of the decision.

“They will be polluting the Parramatta River like they did 100 years ago,” resident Dr Malcolm Wong said.

“Sydney Water should come up with a better solution. The present drains and pumps are already not coping with sewage from existing properties.”

A map of the affected areas.

Jeff Angel, executive director of the Total Environment Centre, dismissed Sydney Water’s claims that the discharge was 99 per cent water.

“They are trying to give the impression that what they are dumping is clean material,” he said. “It is a mix of heavy metals, micro-plastics, run-off from the streets and nutrients and when they flow into our waterways they create a toxic plume.”

Opposition environment spokeswoman Penny Sharpe said: “Successive governments have spent the last three decades building a sewerage network that stops untreated waste getting into Sydney Harbour.

“This is what happens when a government puts dividends above water quality.”

Drummoyne residents Peter Stitt, Moe Wick, Dr Malcolm Wong and Alex Stitt / Picture: Toby Zerna

Sydney Water’s “Internal Surcharge Improvement Program” will see 25 new outfalls built by 2017 that will pump ­effluent and stormwater into ­waterways across the catchment, including the harbourside suburbs of Mosman, Putney, Concord and Drummoyne. There will also be four in the Illawarra, at Fairy ­Meadow, Keiraville, Shellharbour and Wollongong.

Overflow pipes feed into many parts of Sydney Harbour where sewage would otherwise back up into peoples’ homes.

In 2001 a modern solution appeared with the completion of the $466 million Northside Storage Tunnel, which stores overflow until a storm passes and it can be treated.

Drummoyne resident Moe Wick said there had been little consultation with residents, who had only been told sewage would be “screened” to ­remove the lumps.

Rose Bay, one of Sydney’s water jewels / Picture: John Appleyard

“There is really nobody in charge. The whole project looks as though it was knocked up over a beer,” he said.

Failing infrastructure has already cost Sydney Water money. Two weeks ago the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) fined Sydney Water $15,000 after five million litres of raw sewage was discharged into Woolooware Bay when the Cronulla Sewage Pumping Station lost power in August.

And Sydney Water was fined another $15,000 in ­December when a blocked sewerage pipe caused 1.4 million litres of raw sewage to flow into Bardwell Creek, killing fish and eels in September last year.

A Sydney Water spokesman said the new pipe at Drummoyne would go 8m into the Parramatta River and was only expected to overflow “twice per year” with the outflow made up of “99 per cent water”.

“Sydney Water has a network of emergency relief structures across Sydney Water’s area of operations, regulated by the Environment Protection Authority,” he said.

The spokesman said $358 million had been spent on ­infrastructure last year.

A spokesman for Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair said: “The government is committed to ensuring a secure and safe wastewater system.”

‘It’s disgusting ... the kids swim nearby’

Matthew Bamford

Sydney Harbour has ­always been a sanctuary for Jennifer Warren but the young Drummoyne mum says she won’t be letting her son Sebastian swim in its waters knowing it will be used as a dumping ground for untreated sewage.

Ms Warren was among a host of angry Sydney residents to yesterday voice their outrage at plans to build a new outfall pipe at Drummoyne Wharf.

“It’s disgusting. This has always been a clean area. The kids swim at the beach nearby, it’s unhygienic. Who would want that,” she said.

Drummoyne residents Jennifer Warren and son Sebastian / Picture: Toby Zerna

Long-term resident Graham Paton said he was horrified by the construction of an overflow pipe near his home: “It will be terrible, I already can’t use the pontoon because of wash from the ferries, now any sewage will be pushed around by that wash.

“You’re better off improving the existing infrastructure than putting (sewage) into the Harbour.”

Jim Scott, who moved into a harbourside apartment overlooking the proposed outlet six months ago, described the pipe as a short-term fix: “We knew they were going to do some drainage work but we didn’t know the extent of what they wanted to do.

“I can’t stand short-term solutions We’re extremely disappointed the representations (the body corporate) made were not listened to.

“It would be good to know what the plans are. The situation is only going to get worse.”

Jade Scott-Rogers 5 throws a fishing line into the area where the proposed sewerage pipe will come out at Drummoyne. Picture: Toby Zerna