Holroyd City Council

Water Quality

As part of a large, highly urbanised catchment, the preservation of water quality is an ongoing challenge for Council and the community. Our waterways are under pressure from stormwater runoff, litter, chemicals and sediments.

Catchment Management

In most cases, catchment areas extend across Council boundaries. In these cases, Holroyd City Council jointly manages the catchments with other councils such as Blacktown, Fairfield and Parramatta City Councils. Council also participates in committees that help coordinate government and community efforts such as the Parramatta River Catchment Group.

Regional Catchment Management and Natural Resource Management issues are administered by the Sydney Metro Catchment Management Authority (SMCMA). The SMCMA is a NSW Government agency responsible for the coordination and management of Sydney's natural resources. In Sydney, natural resources include land, rivers, estuaries and coastal systems.

Water Quality Monitoring

Council's Water Quality Monitoring Program involves monitoring of water quality at various sites along selected creeks in the Holroyd City Council area. For more information on Council's Water Quality Monitoring Program, please contact Councils Environmental Health Unit on 9840 9840.

Streamwatch

Streamwatch is a school and community education and action program that raises awareness of the natural environment through testing water quality in local rivers and creeks. The program empowers groups to protect the health of local waterways through their involvement in water quality monitoring.

Streamwatch groups can be primary school, high school or community groups. All groups receive training and assistance from Streamwatch's regional coordinators to learn how to monitor the water quality in a local creek using a Streamwatch kit. Groups monitor the water quality on a regular basis and upload their results onto the Streamwatch website. Any abnormal results are investigated and reported to local authorities.

These groups measure a selection of the following water quality parameters:

  • Temperature
  • pH
  • turbidity
  • electrical conductivity
  • phosphates
  • dissolved oxygen
  • coliform bacteria

Groups can also assess the health of the waterbody by looking at the macroinvertebrates that inhabit the area.

More information on the program, or the results of testing by these groups can be viewed on the Streamwatch website.

If you are interested in starting a Streamwatch Group to monitor your local water quality, contact Councils Environmental Health Unit on 9840 9840.