Environmental group release plans for swimmable spots in 2025
IT MIGHT be green and full of sludge now, but in seven years time Parramatta River will be safe for swimming in a bold new plan, according to the Parramatta River Catchment Group.
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A NEW plan to clean up Parramatta River has given itself a seven year timeline for completion.
The plan, created by the Parramatta River Catchment Group announced three new sites would be swimmable in the contaminated river by 2025.
The new sites will be Putney Park, McIlwaine Park in Rhodes East and Bayview Park in Concord, joining current swimming sites at Cabarita Park beach, Chiswick Baths, Dawn Fraser Baths and Lake Parramatta.
River Catchment Group chairman Mark Drury said that nine other sites will also be under consideration including those in the Central Sydney district.
“With this year on track to be among the five hottest years since records began 120 years ago, and experts projecting this trend to continue, the announcement will be a welcome relief for our growing population who might otherwise need to travel longer distances to cool off,” Mr Drury said.
The plan is based on a similar project in Denmark. Mirroring the transformation of Copenhagen Harbour over the last 15 years.
Using real-time monitoring and automatic alarm system at the bathing sites the city has created a system that ensures the site is only open at times when it is safe for swimming.
The Parramatta River catchment area is currently home to over 750,000 residents, with significant infrastructure development around the river underway and an expected 64 per cent increase in high density residential development by 2025.
Greater Sydney Commission’s Environment Commissioner Rod Simpson said the health of the river has been improving over the last few decades, but action still needed to be taken to match the development.
“The new pressures placed on Sydney’s infrastructure will likely see the river degrade,” he said.
“Water quality modelling by the Parramatta River Catchment Group and Sydney Water shows that water quality can be further improved, even with predicted development in the catchment, with additional management interventions.”
The plan is outlined in the Our Living River initiative which has brought together 35 agencies and over 15,000 people.