The Nature Conservation Council NSW (NCC), the state’s leading environmental advocacy group, has called on Centennial Coal to take action after the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) approved a plan to transfer polluted water into a dam that feeds into Sydney’s drinking water supply.
The approval offers only a temporary solution to a larger problem that requires a long-term, environmentally responsible fix, according to the NCC. The IPC acknowledged the lack of a closed-loop system, with wastewater being discharged into the Sydney catchment area.
Jacqui Mills, Senior Climate and Energy Campaigner at the Nature Conservation Council, criticized Centennial Coal for waiting until the last moment to inform regulators about their need for an alternative wastewater management plan.
With the Mount Piper power station set to be offline for maintenance in April and May, Centennial Coal is unable to use the station’s cooling towers to process its wastewater.
“Thanks to community opposition, we have avoided the worst-case scenario, which was to dump the polluted water over 15 years. However, this situation could have been prevented,” said Mills.
Mills emphasized that Centennial Coal has the capacity to store water underground, but chose to pollute instead. She added that the regulator had allowed the company to get away with it.
The wastewater discharge is expected to exceed ANZECC water quality standards for salt, which could harm wildlife such as the platypus.
“It’s not good enough. The ecologically sensitive areas around this destructive coal mine need better protection,” Mills said.
The Springvale Water Treatment Plant was initially proposed as the solution to Centennial Coal’s wastewater issue. However, it has become clear that it cannot handle the large volumes of water produced by the company’s mining operations, which are damaging aquifers near the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
“This pollution is just the tip of the iceberg. There are millions of litres of wastewater stored underground in Centennial coal mines, and they are waiting for the right moment to release it into the river to support mine expansion,” Mills warned.
She called for an independent public inquiry into Centennial Coal’s operations in the Gardens of Stone area to safeguard the region’s water, environment, and public health.
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