The NSW Central Coast Council has been fined a total of $448,562 over sewage pollution of Narara Creek in 2023. Photo: NSW Government
TWO local government councils have been fined a total of $448,562 by the NSW Land and Environment Court for sewage and marine pollution.
The Central Coast Council was convicted and fined $418,562 by the NSW Land and Environment Court on December 24, 2024, for failing to maintain a sewage pipeline which polluted Narara Creek near Gosford in April 2023.
According to the NSW Environment Protection Agency (EPA), the West Gosford Major Sewage pipeline failed and released 1.83 million litres of untreated sewage (equivalent to 7000 Olympic pools) into the creek, which is a tributary of the Brisbane Water estuary.
The court found council failed to properly maintain the pipeline at its South Sewage Treatment System in Kincumber and also failed to take maintenance work following a similar failure of the rising main (pipeline) in 2020.
The EPA’s Executive Director for Operations, David Gathercole said the 2023 incident resulted in significant pollution of Narara Creek, Fagan’s Bay and Brisbane Water.
“Apart from the obvious odour and visual pollution impacts that would have been observed by the community, the release of untreated sewage into the environment resulted in increased ammonia levels as far as Brisbane Water and reduced dissolved oxygen levels in surface water,” Gathercole said.
“These changes in water quality can severely impact aquatic plants and animals.
“Following the earlier incident in 2020, the Council failed to implement a suitable preventative maintenance plan that may have prevented this latest event. It is crucial that the Central Coast Council ensures it has effective maintenance and repair schedules in place to protect the community and the environment.”
In addition to a fine of $105,600 the court agreed to a council proposal to restore the Narara Creek Wetlands valued at $151,900. Council was also ordered to pay the EPA’s costs of investigating and prosecuting the matter bringing the total penalty to $418,562.
PORT STEPHENS
Port Stephens Council was fined $30,000 by the NSW EPA for discharging sediment-laden water into a stormwater system that leads to a protected marine sanctuary zone within the Port Stephens–Great Lakes Marine Park.
The EPA said that in June 2024 , a full pond collapsed during excavation works at Neil Carroll Park in Nelson Bay and released water into the stormwater system which flows into Marine Park waters near the Fly Point-Corrie Island sanctuary zone.
Gathercole said the incident was concerning given the high sensitivity of nearby waters: the Fly Point–Corrie Island sanctuary zone within the Port Stephens–Great Lakes Marine Park encompasses two significant conservation areas.
“As part of the sanctuary zone, these areas are afforded the highest level of environmental protection. It’s critical that anyone completing works nearby adheres to rigorous environmental standards to prevent potential harm,” he said.
