In early 2024, farmers living in proximity to the Belabula River in New South Wales (part of the Lachlan River catchment in Wiradyuri country), reported foam containing PFAS along a stretch of the river. Local residents collected samples of the foam and subsequent analysis found that the foam was detected at 1800 times the safe drinking water limit and 4000 times the 99% ecological trigger level. The pollution was reported by the ABC in August 2024 with the NSW EPA starting an investigation a few months earlier. The pollution is a major environmental headache. Could the same scenario occur in other rivers and waterways across the country?
In May, the EPA detected PFOS along a 20km stretch of the River with levels between 20 parts per trillion to 60 parts per trillion, or 2-6 times the 99% ecological trigger level. People had initially thought that the source of the PFAS could be the nearby Cadia Gold Mine however the EPA found in May 2024 that no PFAS was detected in creeks flowing downstream of Cadia Gold Mine, although PFAS had previously been detected in a bore site at the mine. Friends of the Earth is aware that for some time recycled water from the town of Orange's waste water treatment plant has been used at Cadia. Recycled water can be contaminated with PFAS so there could be a chance that PFAS contaminated waste water has been used at Cadia.
Subsequent testing by the EPA in August 2024, found that the PFAS pollution had been found along 40 km of the river and well upstream of the Cadia Gold Mine tributaries. Where was the PFAS coming from? Upstream of the PFAS, was the small community of Carcoar (population 270) and further upstream the town of Blayney (population 3,000). Also upstream was the Carcoar Dam used for irrigation in the region. These towns were an obvious source of pollution and it became obvious to Friends of the Earth that there were several likely sources of PFAS, including the waste water treatment plant location south of Blayney, a compost/biosolids facility located west of Blayney, possible flurorinated pesticide use in the catchment, and a landfill also located south of the town. The waste water treatment plant may also have been receiving trade waste which also may have been a source of PFAS pollution.
The latest testing results announced by the EPA this week, but not publicly available, taken from samples in October, suggest that the highest levels of PFOS detected by the EPA are coming from two sources. "The highest elevated PFOS concentrations were found in Cowriga Creek immediately downstream of a composting facility and in the Mackenzies Waterholes Creek downstream of the Blayney landfill." The Cowriga Creek flows into the Belabula River about 1.5km north west of Carcoar, possibly meaning that the Carcoar Dam has not been as impacted as much as Cowriga Creek.
For some time Friends of the Earth has been warning about the use of biosolids on farmland. A FoE blog published in June 2024 revealed that Sydney Water transport about 130,000 tonnes of biosolids per year to be used on over 40 farms across the south west of NSW. It is likely that a large percentage is used around the Bathurst, Orange and Blayney regions. Local waste water treatment plants are also likely to be producing biosolids. The local biosolids composting company at Blayney has been in a relationship with Sydney Water since 1990 after Sydney Water was attempting to reduce sewage waste. The facility near Blayney produces about 120,000 tonnes per year.
A recent global study into biosolids found: "Due to documented PFAS contamination in agricultural lands, rigorous regulations need to be instituted to govern the application of these biowastes on agricultural lands. However, several countries lack data on the level of PFAS in the sewage sludges they generate, and there are currently few or no regulations guiding their application to farmlands."
In late November, Friends of the Earth also sent in a submission to the NSW Upper House Inquiry about PFAS pollution of waterways and drinking water supplies in NSW. In the submission FoE wrote in regards to the Belabula River pollution that "It would be interesting to understand the source of the pollution. Is the source the waste water treatment plant at Blayney or is the pollution from another source or multiple sources? Is the pollution from use of biosolids or waste management facilities in the Belabula River Catchment?"
FoE also recommended that: The NSW Government should begin intensive testing of biosolids and recycled water throughout NSW for PFAS chemicals. Testing should also include areas where biosolids have been applied in the past and should include investigations into water pollution from such areas, including farms and pine plantations. The NSW Government should test waterways downstream of landfill
facilities across the state for PFAS contamination.
In the submission, FoE also raised the question in relation to recent detections of PFAS in Bathurst's drinking water supply that "Have biosolids or recycled water been used in this catchment, sourced from waste water treatment plants in Bathurst or Sydney? Friends of the Earth has been concerned for some time about PFAS contamination from waste-water treatment plant ‘products’ such as biosolids and recycled water. Our main concerns have been regarding impacts of bioaccumulation of PFAS at farms and potential runoff associated with application of biosolids on farms."
Contact details:
Anthony Amis 0425 841 564
