Waterway Health

The Nepean River and Wianamatta South Creek all lie within the Penrith City Council Local Government Area (LGA), along with many other creeks and tributaries. The rivers, creeks and surrounding areas are used by residents and visitors for a variety of activities including recreational boating, fishing, skiing, canoeing and picnics.

To help prevent pollution entering the rivers, Penrith Council implements Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD). WSUD helps to replicate natural environments and reduce litter entering the waterways. In natural environments rainwater evaporates, gets absorbed by plants, or soaks into the ground. Urban development dramatically changes the natural rainwater process, because land clearing and increased development reduces the amount of permeable surface area.

Impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways, pathways and roads don’t allow rainwater to soak into the environment, increasing runoff, which pollutes creeks and rivers.