Water quality

Maintaining safe waterways

The Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) project has assessed the risk to water quality and will implement measures to keep the water supply safe.

Maintaining good water quality is critical to the health of the environment and the community. A health risk assessment was undertaken as part of the Environmental Impact Statement to consider the risk associated with the airport's potential impact on groundwater, surface water, nearby domestic water tanks, Prospect Reservoir and Warragamba Dam.

The best way to reduce the risk of further degradation to water quality is to understand the potential impact of the airport's construction and operation. By understanding these risks, WSI can use technology and best-practice design to reduce the chance of contamination and its effects.

The results of the health risk assessment found that risk to water quality resulting from the new airport is low and, as such, the risk to the community's health is also low.

Surface water quality monitoring of nearby catchments indicated that existing water quality is already degraded due to current land uses at the site and within the broader catchment.

Throughout construction and operation of the airport, ongoing monitoring of surface water and groundwater will continue, to ensure the effectiveness of implemented mitigation measures

For more detailed information, see the Water Quality site factsheet and the Environmental Impact Statement.