Penrith Lakes scheme won’t come at cost of Nepean River

TRANSFORMING Penrith Lakes from a quarry into a waterway to rival Sydney Harbour won’t come at the cost of the Nepean River.

Hawkesbury Environment Network Limited chairman and treasurer John Street holds concerns about what would happen to the river system downstream of the lakes scheme. Picture: Phillip Rogers

A BOLD plan to transform Penrith Lakes from a quarry into a waterway to rival Sydney Harbour won’t come at the cost of the Nepean River.

Penrith Lakes Development Corporation, which looks after the current lakes site, say any water drawn from the Nepean River would be subject to strict conditions.

PLDC spokeswoman Dani Robinson said it was disappointing there were suggestions the river would be sacrificed.

“The lakes will be filled gradually from a combination of pumped river water, rainfall and catchment run-off from the surrounding residential areas to the east of Penrith Lakes,” Ms Robinson said.

Artist impression of the proposed Penrith Lakes Development near the Olympic rowing course.

“Catchment run-off has, for the past 15 years, been captured in detention ponds and filtered through a ­system of wetlands and ponds to pristine condition before entering the lakes,” she said, adding that the PLDC had held a state government licence to extract water from the Nepean River under strict conditions since 1984.

The Draft Vision for Penrith Lakes aims to transform the site into a jewel in Western Sydney’s crown, blending residential development with connected green space and lakes over the next 20 years.

Hawkesbury Environment Network Limited chairman and treasurer John Street holds concerns about what would happen to the river system downstream of the lakes scheme. Picture: Phillip Rogers

“The rules mean that pumping from the river can only ever occur during medium to high river flows and there is absolutely no chance of any adverse effects on the river downstream during periods of drought or ‘low flow’ because no water will be pumped in such conditions,” she said.

“The modelling conducted by PLDC’s hydrological experts also estimate that in any given year after the lakes are filled, the pumping station will operate just 8 per cent of the time and then only in high-flow conditions.

A water stand pipe for the water carts located in the Penrith Lakes quarry site. Picture: DAVID HILL

The Boral access road over the Nepean river in the Penrith Lakes quarry site. Picture: DAVID HILL

“PLDC has also worked extensively with UWS and other tertiary institutions over many years on numerous scientific and environmental studies.

“It is an unrivalled environmental, recreational, aquatic haven, which is already habitat to hundreds of returning native fauna, flora and fish species.”

The draft vision plan for the Penrith Lakes scheme is on public exhibition and submissions will close on Thursday, April 30.

You can view it online at opl.nsw.gov.au.