A 2026 water quality snapshot assessment of the Nambucca River system has returned positive results, with low levels of contaminants detected across the catchment.
The assessment involved testing and analysing for contaminants in the Nambucca River and its tributaries in early 2026 and was led by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) in partnership with the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and Nambucca Shire Council.
EPA Director of Incident Management and Environmental Health Jacinta Hanemann said the results provide a baseline for future monitoring and ongoing environment protection work in the catchment.
"The Nambucca River is an important environmental and cultural asset with diverse aquatic and marine habitats and deep significance for local Aboriginal communities," said Ms Hanemann.
"It's a popular area for locals and visitors to enjoy fishing and other recreational activities.
"Working with DCCEEW and Council officers, we tested for more than 200 common contaminants, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, PFAS and metals, to give us a picture of water quality across the catchment.
"No pesticides or pharmaceuticals were detected above the limit of reporting, and while some elevated levels of metals were detected, these are likely to be naturally occurring in soils or from vehicles.
"While PFAS were detected at some sample sites, all detections were below available recreational and ecological guidelines.
"This snapshot is vital for improving our understanding of catchment health, helping identify changes over time and targeting environmental protection work where it is needed most."
The findings align with results from other water quality monitoring initiatives undertaken in the region, including a recent 12-month pesticides monitoring project which found only one detection across four rounds of sampling in Nambucca waterways.
The assessment provides a picture of the Nambucca River system at the time of sampling and does not capture seasonal changes in water quality or other variables.
