The State’s peak environment group welcomed the news that environmental flows were being restored to the Hawkesbury-Nepean River system from Sydney’s dams to predrought levels.
“Rivers in Sydney’s catchment have been really suffering from a lack of environmental flows in recent years,” said Cate Faehrmann, Executive Director of the Nature Conservation Council of NSW.
“This is good news for the water quality of the Hawkesbury-Nepean river system and for our native fish and water birds.
“Rivers are legitimate users of waters too and this step to give back to the environment is welcome all round.
“However just because we are experiencing a wetter period, doesn’t mean we should go back to our old habits.
“Rainfall and therefore water availability in the Sydney catchment area will be affected by climate change in the longer term.
“Sydneysiders have stepped up to the mark and proven they are happy to treat water as the precious resource it is, by trying to save every drop.
“The State Government needs to lock in this recently formed behaviour, rather than letting Sydneysiders go back to even some of their bad habits.
“Water restrictions aren’t ‘draconian’, they are a fact of life in a dry continent. We should be thinking that every drop saved by us is another drop we can give to our thirsty rivers,” said Ms Faehrmann.
