A vital part of our Shire’s water supply is already suffering from longwall coal mining close to Woronora Dam – and worse is proposed!
Longwall mining is now widely recognised as the cause of damaging subsidence problems, especially in Greater Sydney’s water catchment areas. This extensive form of mining leads to rock-cracks and land-collapses in the ground above.
Metropolitan Colliery is proposing to extend the longwall mining it is currently doing under Waratah Rivulet and under the Woronora Dam storage itself. The Rivulet provides a third of the Woronora’s water. Along sections of the Rivulet the water already disappears into rock-cracks.
A number of streams above other NSW longwall mines have run dry due to mine-related surface cracking. So the threat to our Woronora water supply is obvious.
Our Shire’s excellent water supply – nearly all of it from Woronora Dam – is now under threat from two sides: on one side, State Government says it will locate a huge desalination plant on Kurnell if dam levels fall below 30% (now 35%); on the other it looks likely to sanction this latest longwall mining proposal that will diminish the capacity of the Woronora catchment. ...Find out more
is demanding action from our politicians on the environment. Environment groups call on all parties to take urgent action for the NSW environment in five critical areas. Visit environmentelection.org.au daily Enviro-Meter updates to track the latest environment announcements and rate how the parties are performing.
Your drinking water is draining away -—your water catchments are cracking up (Keith Muir) (PDF)
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP...
JOIN the WaterFirst email list. Keep up-to-date with what's happening in the campaign.
SIGN the online petition (and send the link to all your friends and acquaintances).
PRINT and COPY the petition for distribution through your local networks.
WRITE letters to politicians and to newspapers, expressing your concerns about the damage occurring in our drinking water catchments. (Points you might like to include in your letters can be found in the “Campaign Resources” section of the website.)
ORGANISE a showing of the “Rivers of Shame” DVD amongst your group (Contact SSEC for more information).
DISPLAY a “Mining Wrecks Rivers” sticker to raise awareness (stickers are available from SSEC office or from Rivers SOS).
JOIN or make a tax deductible DONATION to Sutherland Shire Environment Centre to help cover the cost of running this campaign.
WHO IS WATER FIRST? WATER FIRST is a coalition of community groups advocating the protection of Woronora Catchment from the destructive effects of longwall coal mining and campaigning to protect the water supply of the Sutherland Shire and Helensburgh.