News

Four students from Macquarie University were recently given the tough task of reading through engineering papers and specifications of Gross Pollutant Traps (GPT). As stormwater carries pollutants to our waterways, GPTs are perceived to be vitally important. The students set out to ascertain how accurate claims are that GPTs remove pollutants. They found many of the manufacturers claims were unfounded and some were exaggerations, which defied the rules of chemistry and physics.

Four students from Macquarie University were recently given the tough task of reading through engineering papers and specifications of Gross Pollutant Traps (GPT). As stormwater carries pollutants to our waterways, GPTs are perceived to be vitally important. The students set out to ascertain how accurate claims are that GPTs remove pollutants. They found many of the manufacturers claims were unfounded and some were exaggerations, which defied the rules of chemistry and physics.

During 2021, as part of our Research Program, Georges Riverkeeper partnered with students at Macquarie University on projects with 'real world' implications. 

One of the student groups investigated Georges Riverkeeper’s extensive water quality dataset, something that has not been done since 2016. Due to time constraints, a few sites and parameters were selected.

Across the sites analysed, students found fluctuation in the values across most parameters, but not necessarily any notable increase or decrease over the period since 2009.

Over the past few months, Georges Riverkeeper has been working with Advanced Science students from Macquarie University for group projects with ‘real world’ implications. Three projects were undertaken, including a spatial analysis of macrophytes in the Georges River.

Georges Riverkeeper’s advocacy work to achieve best practice environmental management for a liveable urban river recently included giving feedback on the Draft Water Catchment SEPP that was circulated for consultation.

The NSW government has been working towards developing a new State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) for the protection and management of our natural environment for some years now.

As work on NSW construction sites returns to normal following the easing of COVID restrictions, builders and developers are urged to get their sites right to prevent sediment runoff from polluting local waterways.

The closure of the construction industry during the recent COVID lockdown meant that erosion and sediment controls on many sites may not have been properly maintained.

A project to restore the creek line that runs into the pristine Simmos Beach Reserve at Macquarie Fields has been a success.

The joint project between Campbelltown City Council and Georges Riverkeeper focused on controlling invasive weeds, planting local native species and returning the 1km long creek to a more natural state, ensuring the area is more attractive to native wildlife such as koalas.

The Georges Riverkeeper General Committee met virtually and the highlight of the meeting were the two guest speakers that presented to the group. Nicholas Hall and Julie Overton, Educators at the Georges River Environmental Education Centre (GREEC), presented on the Stage 1 education modules that they have been developing for Georges Riverkeeper. The education modules is a resource that GREEC are trialling with over 50 classes at schools within the Georges River catchment.

Georges Riverkeeper have convened a Financial Cluster Group to plan the organisations financial future in a strategic way that is aligned to our new Strategic Plan. The current Georges Riverkeeper Strategic Plan 2018-2022 is coming to and end in June 2022, therefore we are in the process of drafted our plan for the next four years. The Program Manager also presented the draft Annual Report to the Executive which will be presented to the Committee at the next meeting.