Environment

What is Happening in the Blacktown City Council

It is the responsibility of Blacktown City Council to help maintain the wetlands and waterways in the Blacktown Local Government Area. Council is running several programs to help improve the quality of water in Blacktown wetlands and waterways.

Council, in conjunction with the Upper Parramatta River Catchment Trust (UPRCT) and the NSW Government Stormwater Trust constructed William Lawson Wetlands at Prospect to help treat stormwater and catch floodwaters. Councils willow removal program helps to improve water quality by removing the impacts willows cause on wetlands and waterways. Stormwater control education programs for the community are also running through Council. Council encourages community involvement in environmental activities. The Blacktown Creek Green Corridor project developed by Council and the UPRCT aims at rehabilitating the native vegetation along Blacktown Creek.

Blacktown Creek Green Corridor

The role of the Upper Parramatta River Catchment Trust (UPRCT) is to improve the environmental, social and economical health of the people living in the catchment by providing flood protection and improving creeks and creeks banks. The UPRCT is responsible for creeks in the eastern part of the Blacktown Local Government Area that lead to the Parramatta River and then onto Sydney Harbour.

The William Lawson Wetlands is a joint project by the UPRCT, Blacktown City Council and NSW Government Stormwater Trust. The UPRCT also has a willow removal program running that helps to reduce possible flood events and improve water quality. The UPRCT runs educational programs focusing on stormwater control and community groups and professionals carry out water quality testing on creeks in the Blacktown area.

There are community groups that carry out environmental activities for Blacktown's wetlands and waterways such as weeding, planting and rubbish removal. For more information on their activities see the Reserves section of this website or contact Council.

Waterwatch and Streamwatch programs are designed for school and community groups to test the quality of the water in wetlands and waterways of their local area. Some of these groups include: Mission Employment at Mt Druitt who have water quality testing days for Ropes Creek at Tregear Reserve, Friends of Greening Western Sydney complete water quality testing on Eastern Creek west of Karuah Street and the Koori Outreach Minchinbury group test water quality on Ropes Creek at Whalan Reserve.

There are eight Blacktown LGA schools that undertake Waterwatch testing on a regular basis within the Upper Parramatta River catchment. There are four or five other groups that test in the rest of the Blacktown area. Catchment field days have been held with some schools to introduce Streamwatch.

We can help protect wetlands and waterways by:

1. Carrying shopping in reusable bags
2. Putting rubbish in the bin
3. Mulching gardens
4. Picking up your dog's droppings
5. Using fertiliser only when necessary
6. Planting local native plants
7. Washing vehicles on the lawn
8. Using phosphorous-free detergents
9. Sweeping paved areas instead of hosing
10. Composting garden waste such as fallen leaves and grass clippings
11. Obeying public signs eg no dogs, no cars or flood warning signs

Individual Wetlands