NSW EPA blamed for slow contamination warning on Belubula River

Along the Belubula River in central west NSW where Digby Rowlands's family has lived, worked and played for four generations, signs have gone up warning fishers and swimmers of toxic "forever chemicals".

And not before time, says Mr Rowlands.

Though he was aware the Belubula was experiencing pollution episodes, he did not appreciate just how serious the contamination was.


"A neighbour said, 'Dig, probably wouldn't even let your kids go in the water' and I was like, 'Hang on. What do you mean?'"

Mr Rowlands is part of a community a recent parliamentary inquiry into PFAS contamination of NSW waterways found was exposed to "unacceptable" levels of harm when the EPA failed to follow standard precautionary measures.

The inquiry found the state's Environment Protection Authority (EPA) had taken too long to test fish taken from the Belubula River, despite the community's own accredited testing showing carp contained high levels of PFOS and copper in 2024.

The warning signs were installed late last month at 15 sites on the river, more than a year after the contaminants were found.


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Testing paid for by landholders in December found carp contained high levels of PFOS. (Supplied: Cadia Community Sustainability Network)




'Hard to keep kids out of the river'​

The inquiry report, released mid-September, found the regulator sat on fish contamination results for eight months before advising anglers not to eat their catch, and failed to erect timely warning signs.

The inquiry also rebuked the EPA for insisting the river was still suitable for swimming, despite knowing foam banks in the water were laden with PFOS, petrol and heavy metals.


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One of the warning signs that recently appeared at 15 sites along the river. (Supplied: Peter Berryman)


Before concerns were raised, Mr Rowlands and his family caught and ate Murray cod, yellow belly and even a rare silver perch.

He believes earlier warnings would have helped educate him and other people about the risks and how to keep their families safe.

"It's hard to keep kids out of the river on a hot day," Mr Rowlands said.

"If the kids had seen warning signs, they probably wouldn't have been that keen to have anything to do with the river."


Denial among regulators​

Inquiry chair and NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann said there was "no defence" for not informing a community.

"What's lacking here is transparency and honesty with the public," Ms Faerhmann said.

"It's a fundamental thing to get right when you're dealing with a contamination scare."

She believed there was a level of denial among regulators.

"This inquiry really did uncover the delays and in some ways the inability of the government agencies to admit that we have a problem," Ms Faerhmann said


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Cate Faehrmann (centre) chairs an inquiry hearing into contamination in waterways and drinking water. (ABC Central West: Xanthe Gregory)


In a statement, a NSW government spokesperson said the report was noted and a response would be released by December.

"There is a whole-of-government response underway in NSW to best respond to and manage the impacts of PFAS contamination," a spokesperson said.

"We recognise there is community concern about PFAS levels in water, and we are committed to continuously improving our approach in line with national guidelines and the latest evidence."


Worrying fish testing results​

Documents obtained by the Belubula community through freedom-of-information laws showed the levels of PFOS in the EPA's Belubula fish samples were up to 40 times the federal food safety board's trigger for a food contamination investigation.

Established by Food Safety Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ), trigger levels indicate how much of a contaminated product a person can consume and remain within a substance's "tolerable daily intake" (TDI).

According to the guidelines, that means a human weighing 70 kilograms could eat just 7 grams of the most contaminated fish in the Belubula before exceeding the TDI for PFOS.


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PFOS foam has been appearing in the Belubula River since at least May last year. (Supplied: Cadia Community Sustainability Network)


Every fish caught and tested by the EPA exceeded the FSANZ trigger level, with European carp and Murray cod returning the highest levels.

According to FSANZ, trigger values and TDIs are dynamic, meaning they can be revised if new scientific evidence supports a change.


Downstream PFOS confirmed​

The EPA has confirmed fears downstream that the pollution was moving.

PFOS has been detected up to 40 kilometres from Mandurama's foam banks at levels just under the recommended drinking water guidelines of 8 nanograms per litre.

Canowindra winemaker Sam Statham was so concerned about the implications for river users, he hosted a community information night attended by more than 60 landholders and Blayney Shire Council Mayor Bruce Reynolds.


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Sam Statham and his brother Oliver in their Canowindra vineyard which Sam fears will be contaminated by PFOS. (Supplied: Sam Statham)


"I don't think we should bury our head in the sand anymore," Mr Statham said
"I've got some quotes to test some of our wine [for PFOS]."

He said he was frustrated regulators had not been proactive in managing background levels in the environment.

"We've known about these chemicals for 25 years … the EPA has been asleep at the wheel over this."

Written by Micaela Hambrett, ABC News.
 

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