Last Sunday 24 August, over 50 concerned residents attended a community meeting at Rosnay Wines regarding serious environmental and public health concerns over high PFAS levels in the Belubula River near Canowindra.
Dr Ian A Wright, a freshwater scientist from Western Sydney University attended the meeting and explained the extreme toxicity of the foam acccumulations. The risks to humans, livestock, irrigation, and the river’s delicate ecosystem are unacceptable.
Water samples have been taken up and down stream of Canowindra to test for PFAS and PFOS evidence.
Recent laboratory tests have shown levels of PFOS up to 67,500 times higher than current drinking water guidelines.
Last week the NSW Environment Protection Authority released a warning against eating anything from the Belubula River due to extreme levels of toxicity of carp tested in January 2025.
The meeting presenters questioned why it taken seven months for the EPA to provide this warning? How many people may have eaten fish between now and then?
Residents affected by these toxic outbreaks are planning a class action.
For more information and to join the Cadia Community Sustainability Network visit www.ccsn.au.