Wet weather making Get the Site Right even more crucial

A bi-annual blitz kicking off on Monday 25 August will target builders and developers in a bid to prevent building site soil and sediment polluting waterways.

---

Lake Macquarie City Council Environmental Regulation and Compliance Officers will be out in force as part of the Get the Site Right campaign, checking erosion and sediment controls on sites across the LGA.

Manager Environmental Regulation and Compliance Jock Graham said frequent downpours soaking construction sites in recent months had exacerbated the problem.

“We’ve had about 60 per cent more rainfall than average so far this year, and that means a greater risk of sediment runoff from sites, potentially resulting in pollution of Lake Macquarie and its tributaries,” he said.

“One building site can lose a significant amount of construction and earthen materials in a high intensity rainfall event due to erosion and sediment laden water runoff. Multiply that by the number of rain events we’ve had recently and the number of construction sites we’ve got across the city, and it there is a potentially substantial impact to the health of our lake.”

“Most of the sediment washes down stormwater drains and ends up in our waterways, threatening wildlife and the aquatic ecosystems that sustain them. So those preventative measures that builders and developers are required to take are incredibly important.”

“Areas most at risk include steep sites close to the lake or its associated tributaries, as well as large commercial developments where erosion and sediment controls have been poorly implemented and maintained.”

Failing to put appropriate protections in place can attract on-the-spot fines for individuals of $15,000 for the first offence and $22,500 for a second offence under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.

Companies face $30,000 for the first offence and $45,000 for a second offence if water pollution occurs.

Mr Graham said a number of written warnings had been issued to construction companies in Lake Macquarie over the past 12 months, some of which resulted in further regulatory action.

“These included works direction notices and penalty infringements,” he said.

Members of the public are encouraged to report pollution incidents, including poor sediment control measures, to Council on 4921 0333.

Now in its eighth year, Get the Site Right is a joint taskforce between the Cooks River Alliance, Georges Riverkeeper, NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, NSW EPA, Parramatta River Catchment Group, Sydney Coastal Councils Group, WaterNSW, and councils across NSW.