About POWA
Protect Our Water Alliance was formed in early 2019 in response to the ongoing mining beneath Sydney’s water catchment.
Located on unceded Dharawal Country in Wollongong, POWA is affiliated with grassroots groups and environmental organisations across the Illawarra, Southern Highlands, and Greater Sydney regions.
POWA is calling for a total ban on mining in our water catchment.
Damage to the Catchment
The Greater Sydney Water Catchment supplies 5 million people with clean drinking water.
The four active coal mines that dig beneath the catchment cause irreversible damage to creeks, rivers, and endangered upland swamps. This not only reduces the quality and quantity of water we need to drink, but ruins critical ecosystems and cultural heritage sites.
What is longwall mining?
Longwall mining is a method used by the mines within our water catchment. It is highly destructive, causing issues such as subsidence and surface-to-seam fracturing.
POWA has made an explanatory video about longwall mining – watch it here.
Updates
POWA on the (air)waves – 97.3 ABC Illawarra Drive with Lindsay
Listen to ABC Illawarra’s Lindsay having a chat with POWA spokesperson Rada about the South32 Dendrobium Longwall 17 End of Panel report. Thanks ABC Illawarra for giving the grassroots some airtime against the multinationals ❤ https://www.abc.net.au/illawarra/programs/drive/drive/14113230?fbclid=IwAR1G0tNBFGEqqF1y7PR4YRReReRmq3sppbYZB6PWIiIzkxv4byokkgvKfp0
Illawarra Mercury Article – Longwall mining leaves cracked rocks, stained creeks in water catchment
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/8007362/horrific-40-new-sites-damaged-by-longwall-mining-at-dendrobium/?cs=300&fbclid=IwAR0MK3pe5VLY15j-caCCZL4AUAIVfX3i1mCDX1RRodV-ckFtC3Ecl0g3mhQ Big ups to Connor Pearce at The Merc for another great article about mining in the water catchment.
Media Release: New report details damning environmental destruction by Dendrobium Mine
Wollongong, New South Wales — Confronting images of recent environmental destruction by South32’s Dendrobium Mine have come to light, showing cracked streams and rockfalls within the Special Areas of the Greater Sydney Water Catchment. The mining multinational published its Longwall 17 End of Panel Report (1) earlier this year, documenting the immediate environmental impacts of…
Dendrobium Damage Update #4 – more cracked rocks
South32 has finished mining Longwall 17 in “Area 3b” in the Dendrobium Mine, which of course is on unceded Dharawal Country, and just north of the Avon Reservoir.Your faithful friends here at POWA have trawled through the End of Panel report, and distilled some Dendrobium Damage for you. Spoiler alert: longwall mining is highly destructive,…
Dendrobium Damage #3 – this is what a cracked stream looks like
South32 has finished mining Longwall 17 in “Area 3b” in the Dendrobium Mine, which of course is on unceded Dharawal Country, and just north of the Avon Reservoir.Your faithful friends here at POWA have trawled through the End of Panel report, and distilled some Dendrobium Damage for you. Spoiler alert: longwall mining is highly destructive,…
Dendrobium Damage Update #2
South32 has finished mining Longwall 17 in “Area 3b” in the Dendrobium Mine, which of course is on unceded Dharawal Country, and just north of the Avon Reservoir. Your faithful friends here at POWA have trawled through the End of Panel report, and distilled some Dendrobium Damage for you. Spoiler alert: longwall mining is highly…
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WOLLONGONG COAL HAVE RESTARTED WORK AT THEIR CONTROVERSIAL RUSSELL VALE MINE
JOIN THE COMMUNITY DIRECT ACTION CAMPAIGN TO STOP WORK
WWW.STOPRUSSELLVALEMINE.ORG
POWA recognises that the traditional owners of the regions spanning Sydney’s water catchment have never ceded sovereignty of their lands and waters.
Protect Our Water Alliance 2022
Protect Our Water Alliance 