Parramatta River on target for 2025 clean bill
It looks like construction companies are finally getting the message when it comes to polluting Parramatta River, with the compliance rate skyrocketing sending the clean up back on target for 2025.
Construction companies are “getting the clean-up message” as more of Parramatta River is set to become swimmable by 2025.
The compliance blitz by local and state governments in May revealed a 13 per cent compliance improvement by companies based near the river.
There were more than 1100 inspections conducted, with results released this week showing a 63 per cent compliance rate.
“Four sites along the river have been declared safe for swimming, telling us that local construction companies are getting the message. We want to see 100 per cent compliance and have the entire river swimmable again by 2025,” Environment Minister Matt Kean said.
The current swimming sites include Lake Parramatta, Cabarita Park beach, Chiswick Baths and Dawn Fraser Baths.
“We’re working hard to clean up the river so that the people of NSW can swim in it once more,” Mr Kean said.
“Sediment is not a small problem; up to four truckloads of soil from a building site can be washed away in a single storm, smothering native plants and animals and destroying aquatic habitats.”
The testing is part of the ‘Get the Site Right’ campaign, a collaboration between the Parramatta River Catchment Group, Cooks River Alliance, Georges River Combined Councils Committee, Sydney Coastal Councils Group, Lake Macquarie Council, NSW EPA, and Department of Planning and Environment, and more than 20 Sydney councils.
The agencies and councils have worked together since 2015 to reduce sediment run-off from construction sites into the Parramatta River to prevent clogging it up and killing plants and creatures living in it.
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