NSW waterways benefit from continued improvement in building site compliance

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Get the Site Right October 2023 Campaign

More NSW builders are ‘getting the site right’ according to results from the latest inspection blitz in October 2023.

Regulatory staff from 17 councils across Greater Sydney and regional NSW conducted 1,178 inspections of 978 building and construction sites.

Almost 70 per cent of sites were found to be compliant following a second inspection – an increase of six per cent in compliance since the previous inspection blitz in May 2023.

There was also an 18 per cent improvement in compliance between first and second inspections, highlighting the importance of regular monitoring and ongoing education.

For non-compliant sites, councils issued 66 penalty notices to the value of $314,824.

Offences included poorly stabilised access points and damaged or no sediment fences and other controls.

Sediment not properly contained on building sites can be washed or blown off the site and into stormwater drains, reducing water quality in local waterways and harming aquatic life.

Sydney Coastal Council’s Group (SCCG) Chair, Councilor Jack Boyd, said the continued improvement in compliance rate was encouraging as the group continues its efforts to improve water quality and waterway health in Sydney’s waterways.

“The steady improvement in compliance rate highlights the important role builders and developers play in protection our local waterways and environment,” Cr Boyd said.

“It is very pleasing to see so many councils participating in the Get the Site Right campaign in a strong and coordinated effort across Sydney’s waterways once again and I commend all our SCCG councils for getting involved,” Cr Boyd said.

Get the Site Right is a joint taskforce between the Cooks River Alliance, Georges Riverkeeper, NSW Environment Protection Authority, NSW Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Parramatta River Catchment Group, Sydney Coastal Councils Group, WaterNSW, and councils across NSW.

The next inspection blitz will be held in May 2024.

Members of the public are encouraged to report pollution incidents, including poor sediment control, to their local council or via the NSW EPA’s 24-hour Environment Line on 131 555.

For the full media release, please click here.