Wianamatta-South Creek Water Source (No. 3) 2026

• Following a fire at the Cooper’s Environmental Waste Recycling facility on Saturday 29 November, a ban on taking water from watercourses downstream of the facility is in place.
• This is a precaution as contaminants processed at the facility present a risk of harm to those who come into direct contact.
• The location where the ban applies was reduced on 30 January. Previously, the ban applied to watercourses downstream of the facility to the confluence of South Creek with the Hawkesbury River. After 30 January, the ban applies to watercourses downstream of the facility to the crossing of South Creek by St Marys Road.
• Don’t take or use water from these watercourses for irrigation, drinking, cooking, filling swimming pools, washing cars, watering gardens, or other purposes.
• Polluted water may look and smell like clean water, but it is not safe to use.
• Regular tap water is completely safe to use.

Where can I get more information?

For further information, contact the Environment Line and check NSW EPA’s website.

Reasons for decision

Section 324 of the Water Management Act 2000 allows the Minister or delegate to order that temporary water restrictions within a water source(s) are to have effect for a specified period, if these restrictions are determined to be in the public interest.

Examples of the public interest referred to in section 324(1) are “to cope with a water shortage, threat to public health or safety or to manage water for environmental purposes”.

It is in the public interest to make an order to prohibit taking of water from watercourses downstream of the facility to cope with a threat to public health, for the following reasons:

• The Cooper’s Environmental Waste Recycling facility receives and stores hazardous chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and is licensed by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
• PCBs present a risk of harm to those who come into direct contact with it. PCBs are hazardous chemicals historically used in transformers as coolants and have been banned since the 1980s.
• Following the fire at this facility, it is possible these hazardous chemicals may have entered downstream watercourses. NSW EPA is monitoring water quality downstream for potential impacts, and has requested the Department takes measures to prevent extraction and use of potentially contaminated water.
• The Temporary Water Restrictions Order for the Wianamatta-South Creek Water Source (No. 2) 2026 was made on 16 January 2026 with an expiry date of 30 January 2026.
• As a precautionary measure, it is considered the water restrictions should remain in place until 20 February 2026, but only for watercourses downstream of the facility to the crossing of South Creek by St Marys Road.
• The location where the ban applies has been reduced, as the precaution is no longer considered to be necessary downstream of the crossing of South Creek by St Marys Road.

Accordingly, the section 324 order is being made to cope with a threat to public health in the Wianamatta-South Creek Water Source.

The section 324 order also includes the ability to lift orders once the risk of exposure to potentially contaminated water has passed.

Claire Evans
A/Director Water Planning Implementation
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

29 January 2026