Sydney's water catchment faces rising loss to mining, contaminants

By Peter Hannam
Updated August 22 2017 - 6:48am, first published 6:40am
Warragamba spillway releases water into the Hawkesbury Nepean river system after the East Coast Low brought floodwaters into the catchment . Photo Nick Moir 27 August 2015
Warragamba spillway releases water into the Hawkesbury Nepean river system after the East Coast Low brought floodwaters into the catchment . Photo Nick Moir 27 August 2015
MERCURY NEWS-COAL  IIlawarra Coal Dendrobium Mine at Mt Kembla opens its hole for us to experience life as a miner underground at 400mm deep and 9km in as long wall mining in at the site produces up to 30,000 tonnes of saleable coal. Fitter David Crehan stands near the long wall shearer which is going through maintenance  Friday 1 August 2008  Pic by Andy Zakeli SPECIALX 82506
MERCURY NEWS-COAL IIlawarra Coal Dendrobium Mine at Mt Kembla opens its hole for us to experience life as a miner underground at 400mm deep and 9km in as long wall mining in at the site produces up to 30,000 tonnes of saleable coal. Fitter David Crehan stands near the long wall shearer which is going through maintenance Friday 1 August 2008 Pic by Andy Zakeli SPECIALX 82506

Coal mining in Sydney's catchment is having a "cumulative and possibly accelerated" impact on water flows but its full effect is unknown because of a lack of monitoring.

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