Coxs River - Pollution

Pollution

As of 2008, there were concerns about water quality in upper Coxs River. Testing carried out by researchers from the Blue Mountains Conservation Society showed that this part of the river had high levels of heavy metals including zinc, copper and manganese, 125 times more sulphate than surrounding streams and only 5% of the oxygen that fish need. The pH level -- a test of acidity -- was up to 1000 times higher than that of neighbouring creeks, while the river was 80 times as salty as it should be. The Sydney Catchment Authority confirmed that the test was accurate, but said the water gets safer to drink in the lower river, approaching Warragamba Dam. The Department of Environment and Climate Change said that the contamination could be caused by Delta Electricity's Wallerawang power station reusing its water as a result of drought. Delta stated that it was operating within the conditions of its licence.

In 2009, Dr Ian Wright of the University of Western Sydney reported that the water flowing into Coxs River contained high levels of copper, boron and other metals at "many times" the levels found upstream of the Wallerawang power station. High arsenic levels were found down stream of the plant, although it was diluted further downstream and was not thought to pose a risk to humans. The Blue Mountains Conservation Society was taking a case to the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales with the backing of Environment Defenders Office of New South Wales, intending to argue that Delta Electricity are polluting Coxs River. The Society also intended to challenge the New South Wales system of environmental licences. The Society's president, Tara Cameron, said: "These licences are just licences to pollute. They are just allowing the status quo and making people feel good without actually protecting the environment." Journalists Ben Cubby and Erik Jensen maintained that the State Government had known about the pollution for over two years.