Making Parramatta River swimmable by 2025

The Parramatta River Catchment Group (PRCG) has launched the initiative ‘Our Living River’ - a plan to bring back swimming to the entire Parramatta River by 2025. The PRCG is a group of councils, government agencies and community groups working together to improve the river and the creeks that flow into it.

Sydney residents enjoyed swimming in Parramatta River around 50 years ago, but today, with the exception of Lake Parramatta, the river west of Cabarita is seen as unswimmable due to stormwater, rubbish, industrial activity and pollution. The initiative is proposing to set a range of achievable targets with the aim of bringing currently unusable parts of the river and surrounding creeks back to life.

PRCG Chair and Parramatta Lord Mayor Scott Lloyd said bringing swimming and other recreational activities back to the river will provide “tangible social and economic benefits to the two million Western Sydney residents who surround the area”. Such benefits include better public amenities, greater liveability, healthier living, social connection, decreased environmental damage, increased biodiversity, business opportunities and increased property value.

Councillor Scott Lloyd.

The initiative is calling on local community groups, businesses and individuals to show their support for the river by going to www.ourlivingriver.com.au and voting for their favourite swimming spot. It is also looking to:

• obtain a commitment of $5 million over three years to establish frameworks and mechanisms to make the river swimmable again and start on-ground activation;
• create an all-levels of government task force to look at all issues related to restoring the river to full health and activation, including coordination of a river master plan;
• establish a consistent, entire river catchment, water-quality monitoring program.

“Our Living River will make the entire river an extension of the local community’s backyard - as every Aussie has the right for a cool dip, in a beautiful clean environment, without having to drive more than an hour in a hot car to the nearest ocean beach,” said Lloyd.