Sydney Water Corporation has been convicted and fined $365,625 and have separately agreed to pay $500,000 to environmental projects, after around 16 million litres of raw sewage resulted in the relocation of 39 residents in Naremburn in 2020.
The incident was a result of the partial collapse of a sewage pipe and maintenance hole, which caused a blockage in the sewage system. This caused sewage to back-up and overflow at Dawson Reserve and two other locations near Gaza Road and Garland Road, entering Flat Rock Creek.
NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Acting Executive Director, Arminda Ryan said the sewage impacted the waters of Flat Rock Creek and downstream to Long Bay, Middle Harbour for up to a week after the incident.
“The partial collapse of the sewage system at Dawson Street led to a significant amount of raw sewage entering Flat Rock Creek, which can cause harm to aquatic organisms exposed to the sewage-contaminated waters,” Ms Ryan said.
“Local residents were significantly impacted by the incident with reports of sewage odours and 39 people were temporarily relocated from their homes.
“These waterways are much-loved recreational areas for residents in Northern Sydney and we know the local community expects better from Sydney Water.
“We want to protect and restore our local waterways and maintaining the infrastructure of our sewage network is integral to this goal.”
Sydney Water was fined in the Land and Environment Court for three related offences and also entered into an Enforceable Undertaking (EU) with the EPA to address concerns regarding the condition of the collapsed sewage pipe and maintenance hole, and their failure to immediately notify authorities of the incident.
The EU commits $500,000 in funding to North Sydney Council, Willoughby City Council and the Aboriginal Heritage Office to assist with a variety of environmental projects including works within the Flat Rock Creek catchment.
Ms Ryan said Sydney Water now has twelve convictions relating to sewage overflows since 2020.
The Court ordered Sydney Water to write to local residents outlining the court order and incident, and apologise for the overflow and any inconvenience caused, as well as pay the EPA’s legal costs and publish details of the conviction in the Daily Telegraph, Sydney Morning Herald and on its social media accounts.
The EPA encourages the community to report potential water pollution incidents to the Environment Line on 131 555.
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