Liverpool: Oil slick discovered on the Georges River sparks calls for stricter water monitoring

An oil slick on one of the state’s largest catchments has sparked calls for a crackdown on dumping and water management over fears further contaminants could leach into the water.

An oil slick discovered on the Georges River (pictured) has sparked calls for stricter dumping policies and water management

An oil slick discovered on one of the state’s largest catchments has sparked calls for stricter dumping policies and water management over fears further contaminants could leach into the water.

Independent Liverpool community campaigner Michael Andjelkovic raised concerns about the water quality in the Georges River after images of an oil slick on the catchment near the Light Horse Bridge were shared on social media on January 9.

Mr Andjelkovic said it was “concerning” to see the contamination on the water and suspected the oil could have originated from a dumped car in the river.

“It could have come from one of the cars that has sprung a leak but one of the concerns I’ve had in the last two years is there could be things leaching into the river from the former rubbish tip at Lighthorse park ,” he said.

A concerned resident noticed an oil slick on the Georges River while crossing the light horse bridge in Liverpool. Pictured: Supplied

“Things were not as controlled as there were back then and I can also hazard a guess on what materials were dumped.”

Mr Andjelkovic said the slick was also a reminder of the dangers the Moorebank Intermodal Precinct – located next to the Georges River – posed to the environment.

The freight terminal was a ​​Federal and NSW Governments project aimed to streamline rail and road movements of shipping containers in Sydney and eastern Australia.

Picture of the reported oil slick on the Georges River on January 9.

The site sits on former Defence land where the military used a range of now banned chemicals, including per – and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAs, used in firefighting which Mr Andjelkovic could also seep into the river.

“With the amount of trucks and the amount of cement going in, it’s possible for diesel leaks … all it takes is a downpour for these substances to leak into the river,” he said.

Mr Andjelkovic said more needs to be done to manage illegal dumping and monitor the water quality of the Georges River including a major clean up to “protect people’s health and safety”.

“As our mayor (Ned Mannoun) keeps saying, he wants to make the river a great venue to go along to and he said he used to swim in the river in Moorebank, but the water quality needs to be monitored daily,” he said.

“There needs to be monitoring for these PFAs up at the former defence force ground, not just blue algae.”

A Liverpool Council spokesman said the council launched an investigation “but there was no slick evident”.

The banks of the Georges River at the Casula Powerhouse.

“Oil can disperse quickly, making it difficult to identify the source and council will continue to monitor the locality to see if the slick reoccurs,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman said December monitoring of the River found some sites had a level of non-toxic blue-green algae and is planning to expand the water quality testing program to include “additional parameters such as industrial pollutants”.

“An audit is also proposed to identify any structures along Georges River that may be pollution sources, including dry weather discharge of sewer and unauthorised connections draining pollutants,” the spokesman said.

“Council has installed a number of Gross Pollutant Traps – part of the stormwater treatment to remove pollutants – to prevent rubbish and other gross pollutants from entering the river.”

This publication understands no official reports have been made to the Environmental Protection Authority, which has offered its assistance to Liverpool Council. However, the EPA declined to comment.