Residents have claimed a victory with gross pollution traps planned for Bardwell Creek.
Michael Mohan has spent years picking up thousands of pieces of rubbish and has long pushed for the introduction of the traps.
‘’I’m delighted with the decision,’’ he said.
‘’I’ve been banging my head against the wall on this for years but once they’ve been installed I’ll be happy.
‘’It’s not a victory for me but a victory for the people who use the area.’’
A Sydney Water spokesman said it was important for people not to litter.
‘’Protecting our waterways is a challenge for the whole community. It’s important to make sure people put rubbish in the bin, not on footpaths and in gutters,’’ he said.
‘’We are proposing to install up to two gross pollution traps along Bardwell Creek as part of the Cook River Improvement Plan.
‘’We will conduct modelling to make sure these traps are effective at capturing litter and handling other impacts.
‘’It can take up to 12 months to initiate this project once it is approved.’’
He said each trap can cost up to $200,000 to design and construct.
A Rockdale spokesman confirmed they are working with Sydney Water on the project.