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ADCO Constructions fined for pollution threatening Sydney’s latest rising galaxies

Posted on by L. Dreeye
ADCO Constructions fined for pollution threatening Sydney’s latest rising galaxies

A construction company building a public high school on the Northern Beaches has been fined $30,000 for polluting a creek that is home to Greater Sydney’s only population of rare fish.

The Environmental Protection Agency imposed the maximum penalty on ADCO Constructions, Forest High School’s contractor, following repeated community complaints about brown, sediment-laden water flowing into Curl Curl Creek.

Officers inspected the Allambie Heights site in June and noticed it was a source of contaminated water entering the storm drainage system.

A pool in a stream full of brown water.

Gloomy Curl Curl Creek in January after heavy rain. (Included: Save Manly Dam Catchment Committee.)

NSW Environment Protection Agency chief executive Jason Gordon said dumping sediment could cause significant harm to aquatic life.

ADCO Constructions had previously been alerted to the need to improve sediment management at the site.

“There were no adequate pollution controls on site at the time of the incident, which is unacceptable,” Mr Gordon said.

Local residents first noticed the creek being polluted in January after heavy rains.

“This was terrible pollution that affected a class A creek,” said Malcolm Fisher of the Manly Dam Catchment Committee.

The fate of the population of rising galaxies, a 90-million-year-old native freshwater fish, is unknown.

This is the only place in Greater Sydney where it occurs.

“Unfortunately, under our watch, this miracle fish, which has remained in this location for 90 million years, according to the Australian Museum, may have just experienced its last days,” Mr Fisher said.

Its name comes from its ability to climb wet rocks and waterfalls.

Scream in a “shocking state”

Mr Fisher welcomed the fine but also called for the company to be required to pay for further monitoring to determine the impact on climbing galaxies and other species found in the creek, including two types of crayfish.

He had expected the creek’s condition to improve recently without much rain, but it was in a “shocking state” when he last visited a few weeks ago.

“There is so much dirt and silt accumulated in this area. It will gradually wash away over time, but it was in a very poor state,” Mr Fisher said.

“So we just don’t know if these fish will survive.”

Brown water with an overhanging tree.

Malcolm Fisher said the creek was in a “terrible state” several months after the sediment and silt were first dumped. (Included: Save Manly Dam Catchment Committee.)

The Environmental Protection Agency said dumping sediment could cause significant harm to aquatic life.

“Curl Curl Creek is a very diverse aquatic ecosystem,” Mr. Gordon said.

“Water pollution incidents of this nature could threaten their delicate natural habitat.”

An ADCO spokesman said the company is reviewing the EPA’s decision.

They blamed the pollution on heavy rainfall in the first half of 2024 and other mitigating circumstances.

“From the inception of the project, ADCO engaged experts to develop and implement erosion and sediment control measures and appropriate monitoring to minimize the risk of sediment escaping from the premises and/or being discharged into nearby waterways,” the spokesperson said.

ADCO has since installed an additional stormwater treatment system.