State of the Environment – 2000

Extracted references to the Parramatta River  

NSW EPA SOE 2000 | Western Sydney Regional SOE 2000

Full Reports 

NSW EPA SOE |Western Sydney Regional SOE 2000

 From Backgrounder 5. Water

 Map 5.1: River health ratings based on AusRivAS assessments indicates that the health of the Parramatta River at all assessment sites was very poor. [p. 159]

 Water Map 5.6: Exceedence assessment (1995–99) & trends (1992–99) in median total phosphorus at selected key sites [Webmaster’s Note: The Parramatta river does not seem to be monitored for phosphorous] [p. 178]

 Map 5.7: Exceedence assessment (1995-99) & trends (1992-99) in median turbidity at selected key sites [Webmaster’s Note: The Parramatta river does not seem to be monitored for turbidity] [p. 180]

 Table 5.9: Swimming sites recording low compliance with NHMRC & ANZECC primary contact recreational water quality guidelines for summer 1999–2000 [p186]

Figure 5.3 shows that only about 80% of Sydney Estuarine Bathing sites have over 90% compliance against Beachwatch criteria for Faecal Coliforms. [Editors note: It is reasonable to suspect that sites with less direct tidal flushing such as the middle reaches of the Parramatta River have lower than these average rates of compliance] [p.187]

 Figure 5.3 shows that only about 15%% of Sydney Estuarine Bathing sites have over 90% compliance against Beachwatch criteria for Enterococci. [Editors note: It is reasonable to suspect that sites with less direct tidal flushing such as the middle reaches of the Parramatta River have lower than these average rates of compliance] [p187]

 “A summary of the monitoring results from 1998–99 is presented in Table 5.10. A detailed description of results from monitoring programs is published annually in Sydney Water’s Annual Environment and Public Health Report (SWC 2000b). The waterways have been categorised (‘good’, ‘fair’, ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’) based on an assessment of water quality for primary and secondary contact recreation in terms of eutrophication levels.” [p.188]

  Extract from Table 5.10: Summary of water quality status in Sydney’s estuaries [p. 189]

“Protection from eutrophication

Water quality in Sydney’s estuaries becomes worse with distance upstream from the estuary mouth. The upstream estuarine areas are generally the receiving waters for large volumes of polluted stormwater, have catchments that are highly developed, have less waterway volume for dilution, and are more slowly flushed by clean incoming ocean waters.

 In many estuaries high nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were measured indicating that the waterway had very poor protection against eutrophication. Such waterways are Curl Curl Lagoon, Manly Lagoon, Lane Cove River, Parramatta River,

Cooks River and the Upper Georges River. Algal blooms were recorded in 1998–99 in the Hawkesbury–Nepean River, Curl Curl Lagoon, Manly Lagoon, Parramatta River and Cooks River (see Water Indicator 5.12 for information on marine and estuarine algal blooms).” [p. 188]

 allis Lake

Protection of recreational water quality

A similar spatial pattern in the suitability of estuarine waters for human recreation was observed. Poor or very poor conditions for primary contact were recorded in Dee Why Lagoon, Curl Curl Lagoon, Manly Lagoon, Parramatta River, Cooks River and the Upper Georges River. Primary contact recreation (swimming) is relatively uncommon in these waterways (except for the Upper Georges River). The poor to very poor primary recreation conditions indicate faecal contamination of these waterways. In the estuaries in which primary contact recreation activities are common, the water quality is generally fair or good, indicating that they are suitable for these activities. [Editor’s Note: There is a reasonable amount of primary contact recreation as far west as John Whitton Railway bridge at Meadowbank as a result of the locations of boat ramps, 1st Yaralla Sea Scouts, 1st Epping Sea Scouts, Concord & Ryde Sailing Club, Cabarita Park and other foreshore parks, Abbotsford 12’ Skiff Club, Sydney Rowing Club, Sydney Womens’ MLC Rowing Club (Abbotsford), and numerous school rowing sheds. All of these rowing sheds use the Parramatta River to John Whitton Bridge, Meadowbank. Jet skis and water skiers also use the River in the vicinity of Ryde traffic bridge. The area to John whitton Bridge should as a result be treated as one of Primary Recreational contact. This would alter the conclusion above.] [p. 189]

 Sewer overflows

Sewerage systems commonly have designed overflow points. These act as safety valves to stop sewage from backing up into homes and businesses when a sewer is overloaded, a pipe is blocked, or there is a problem at a sewage pumping station. Designed overflows generally allow sewage to discharge at a planned location, usually the nearest natural waterway or stormwater drain. Sydney Water Corporation prepared environmental impact statements (EISs) on its 27 sewerage systems in the Sydney, Blue Mountains and Illawarra regions. These EISs provide significant information on sewer overflows and their impacts across the greater metropolitan region. See ‘Responding to point-source discharges’ below for more information. [p. 195]

Sewer overflows program

Reticulated sewage treatment systems are required to hold environment protection licences under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, which commenced on 1 July 1999. The system includes sewage treatment plants and all associated components of the reticulation system, including pipes, manholes, pumping stations and overflow structures.

Previously only treatment plants were licensed. 

The EPA first negotiated licences for sewage treatment systems operated by Sydney Water. This included licensing of sewer overflows. The licences, issued in May 2000, included pollution reduction programs to reduce overflows. The licences have been appealed against by Sydney Water. The EPA is also negotiating sewerage system licences with regional councils and the Hunter Water Corporation that will regulate sewer overflows. Sewage treatment system licences across NSW will follow.

Extract from Table 5.17: Algal blooms recorded in marine & estuarine waters potentially harmful to marine organisms or toxic to humans, 1997–99 [p. 209]

Date Location Bloom taxa Impact of algal bloomPy harmful to marine organisms

November 1996 – March 1997 Parramatta River (Sydney Harbour) Chattonella globosa No reported human health effects

 December 1998 Morrisons Bay (Parramatta River) Haramonas sp. nov. Fish kill (approx. 200 bream and sea mullet)— no reported human health effects

November 1999 Parramatta River (Sydney Harbour) Alexandrium sp. No reported human health effects

  [Editor’s note: there were only 7 incidents in NSW. Three of them were in the Parramatta River]

There are also sections of the report which are general in nature but deal with issues of relevance to the Parramatta River including:

1.         Pages 200 to 202 which deal in general terms with Sewage pollution other than from Sewage Treatment Plants.

2.         5.9 Diffuse-source pollution (which deals with stormwater) [p203 - 206];

3.         Marine & estuarine algal blooms [p. 208 –210]

4.         5.12 Sediment contamination [p. 214 – 216] [Editors Note: This section fails to mention the plan to remediated the sediments of Homebush Bay, which has been frequently referred to as the 5^th most contaminated waterway in the world.]

All of the report is available from the EPA Website www.epa.nsw.gov.au as downloads of Adobe Acrobat pdf files.  

Western Sydney Regional SOE 2000

1. Chapter 6 Part 5 Page 100 Western Sydney Regional SOE Report 2000

Sydney Harbour/Parramatta River Catchment 

Most streams within the Upper Parramatta River catchment (Map 6.5) and the upper estuarine areas of the Parramatta River are substantially modified and carry poor-quality stormwater. Swimming (primary contact recreation) is a desired use of Lake Parramatta in the short term (5 years) and has been shown by recent water quality investigations to be an achievable and cost-effective objective (Box 6.1). Achieving primary contact recreation in the remainder of the creeks in the Upper Parramatta River catchment is a very long-term option and may not be feasible. Aquatic ecosystem protection is an achievable and community endorsed goal for Toongabbie and Darling Mills Creeks, with
secondary recreational contact a longer-term goal. These objectives are based on the results of ‘Streamly Clean’ an extensive community research project to establish community-endorsed water quality objectives for the Upper Parramatta River catchment.

River flow objectives are intended to protect pools in dry times and protect natural low flows only where there are detention basins. As there are few freshwater wetlands left in this catchment, the existing ones should be protected, including their inundation regime. Several
constructed wetlands such as the William Lawson Park wetland at Lancelot Street Blacktown, are attempting to restore ecological functions to formerly degraded creeks. Some naturally temporary creeks have been made more permanent with development of the catchment.  Returning to a more natural flow regime is a longer-term
aim, requiring improved stormwater management and urban design practices such as increased infiltration and on-site storage.

In urban areas, the ecological value of maintaining floodplain inundation needs to be balanced with risks to life and property. The weirs on the Parramatta River and culverts and detention basins throughout the catchment, affect fish passage and can generate water that is low in dissolved oxygen and high in chlorophyll-a (contributing to algal blooms).

The upper estuary is characterised by a mix of  freshwater and saline waters. Its hydraulic and water quality characteristics, and potential problems, are very different from those of freshwater streams. It is significantly influenced by freshwater inputs after rain. 

Achieving water quality suitable for swimming and edible seafood (cooked seafood only) could be possible in the longer term (10 years or more). The pollution of river sediments is an issue that may affect the achievement of the edible seafood goal in the upper estuary. Raw
seafood is unlikely to be safe to eat when taken from urbanised catchments. It is impractical to achieve a return to natural ecosystems but improvement in ecological health is necessary and desirable. Red algal blooms have been a problem in the upper estuary in the
past years. The causes of the blooms are unclear but appear to be related to high nutrients, low oxygen levels and poor flushing of the system. 

2. Chapter 6, Part 1, Page 92

However leakage and overflows from private and public sewer lines throughout the Region, in particular in the Upper Parramatta River catchment, remains a major source of sewage contamination of
urban creeks. The EPA is currently negotiating with Sydney Water to establish licence conditions for sewer overflows into natural creeks.

[ Editor's Note: There is substantial other material in The Western Sydney Regional SOE 2000 which relates to the water quality in the fresh water section of the Parramatta River Catchment (and the total Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment). Clearly any reduction in the problems in the freshwater catchment would reduce problems in the estuarine catchment.]