17th November 2025
The Gardens of Stone Alliance is demanding answers following a recent spike in pollutants entering a local creek downstream from Energy Australia's Mt Piper Power Station and Centennial Coal's Western Coal Services site near Lithgow.
"We tested water in Wangcol Creek on Monday, November 10, that contained dissolved salts four times the recommended Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) water quality target," Community Engagement Officer Julie Favell of Lithgow Environment Group said.
"This is highly toxic for aquatic life. Downstream water levels in the Coxs River were more than double the recommended target. Our findings are corroborated by official WaterNSW readings."
Western Sydney University water pollution expert Dr Ian Wright described the discharge point into Wangcol Creek as "the worst water pollution site in Sydney's drinking water catchment that I've seen in 30 years in my science."
"Just last month, the environmental regulator was put on notice when an ABC story found that WaterNSW samples were well above what they should have been," Senior Climate Campaigner Jacqueline Mills of Nature Conservation Council NSW said.
"Is dumping of toxic brine into the power station waste heap entering the water table and polluting our rivers? EnergyAustralia says they are investigating, but where are the results.
"What's more, Centennial Coal is hatching a plan to dump millions of litres of dirty water directly into Wangcol Creek every day. This would add to the already toxic water and run through the World Heritage Area and into Sydney's drinking water supply.
"The Labor government must keep the promise it made when in Opposition to strengthen our water protection laws and stop Centennial in its tracks."
