During early March, Botany Bay catchment experienced a one in thirty year down pour. It had been so long since the last major event, our present generation had forgotten the consequences.
Cooks River was badly affected, with the downpour arriving at high tide in Botany Bay. There was no ware for the water to go but build up in the lower reaches until tidal change. Suburbs along the river experiences major flooding. Parks and river frontages went under swirling brown water. The PET bottle cemetery behind Canterbury Racecourse, was propelled further east, a new cleanup opportunity for the hard working volunteers Mudcrabs.
In Wolli Creek backup from this major catchment saw Turrella Reserve below water and flood waters lapping the pedestrian walking bridge at the end of Henderson Street, the weir under metres of water. New environmental works within the Reserve became an underwater garden. Further up the creek Bardwell Park railway station platform became an island platform at which only rowing boats could pick up passengers. The East Hills-Airport railway line was closed until waters receded. Bexley Road bridge was also below water.
Along Botany Bay the foreshore took on a strange dark colouring as siltation and sewerage streamed into the pristine waterway, often a revered swimming spot.
Georges River Weir at Liverpool station was under a foaming mass of brown water. The Chipping Norton lakes became a brown sink for all kinds of floating refuse.
In Fairfield Local Government Area, Cabramatta Creek and it’s tributaries burst their banks with a floatilla of PET bottles and shopping trolleys visible from the railway overpass. The creek system was worthy of the gondoliers of Venice.
Hurstville Local Government area saw the worst environmental accident when Sydney Water’s sewer aqueduct overflowed, swamping Dairy Creek and the Lime Kiln Bay wetlands, with an environmental flow passing along Lime Kiln Bay, into Georges River and closing Oatley Park Baths in Jew Fish Bay for over three weeks.
A Hurstville City Council report states, “It is understood that at approximately 5.00pm on Friday 9, March 2012, a resident of this area observed overflow from a Sydney Water aqueduct, discharging diluted sewage into Lime Kiln Creek. At the time it was estimated that the discharge rate was at least 30 litres per second and was most likely due to the stormwater flows into the waste water system to the Malabar Sewerage Treatment Plant reaching capacity due to heavy rain on the preceding day. It is also understood that both the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and Sydney Water were notified and advised of the incident and that according to the Licensing Guidelines for Sewage Treatment Systems it clearly states that onus in investigating and managing sewer overflows rests with the EPA and the authority that holds the license, in this case – Sydney Water. The responsibility of clean up, notification of residents and rectification works is clearly the responsibility of Sydney Water – a fact they have acknowledged.
Based on information provided to Council, Sydney Water (who were notified of the incident at 5.38pm on Friday 9, March 2012) had an investigation team on site by 7.15pm that evening, with remediation works commencing early the next day.
On the afternoon of Wednesday 14 March, 2012, Council Officers met with officers of Sydney Water who advised that as a result of their investigations, the event had significantly impacted on the area and that approximately 8 tonne of sediment and waste had been discharged into the wetlands – affecting the sedimentation ponds, micro-pond, and the reedbed and mangroves down to Oatley Baths and Lime Kiln Bay. Sydney Water have advised that the ponds will be completely drained and dredged to remove contaminants before allowing fresh water back into them. They have also advised that water testing will be conducted daily, and that the baths will not be re-opened until it is safe to swim. It is further estimated that these works will take up to a month to complete. Council has also written to the EPA and recommended that they negotiate specific Pollution Reduction Programs with Sydney Water in order to address any future issues or incidents in association with this infrastructure with a view to preparing and implementing a plan of management that will hopefully prevent and at the very least minimise wet-weather overflows from this system.” [Hurstville City Council 04/04/2012 QWN007-12 SEWAGE OVERFLOW INTO LIME KILN BAY WETLANDS]
All beaches in Botany Bay were closed as were Oatley Park, Como, Oatley Bay and Carss Park Baths following thease events
During water testing in Cox’s Creek, Greenacre, natural creek in a suburban environment, large quantities of floating debris was observed in the creek bed, reeds and trees following the extra-ordinary downpour. Sewerage readings were high, but the colony of Green and gold bell frogs were making a lot of music.
It is high time Sydney Water, New South Wales Government, Commonwealth Government and local councils within Botany Bay catchment, came to grips with public and private sewerage issues. For a public body such as Sydney Water, to allow unchecked sewer flows on the scale at Dairy Creek is unforgivable. The issue is not an accident nor a new issue. The aqueduct was recently relined, supposedly to remove the problem.
Below are some video clips and news articles from regional papers and a link to pics from Fairfield Council area.
Wolli Creek Flood
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWNhfXITpm8
Bardwell Park Station
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPeh9DApyk
Cooks River Flood
Georges River Flood
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpaKzdfEjXGxs
Newspaper articles
www.theleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/stench-invades-oatley-neighbourhood/2489491.aspx
www.fairfieldchampion.com.au/news/local/news/general/minor-flood-warning-for -the-georges-river/2481606.aspx
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