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 Creek Convoy – Sunday 7th May
Yesterday about 30 lovely people joined POWA and braved the polar blast to visit four creeks impacted by coal mine pollution in the Illawarra. It was great! We had a nice crowd of Wollongong locals, as well as some friends from Sydney who stuck around after May Day. WIN News Illawarra did a great story…
POWA @ May Day, Port Kembla
POWA debuted our fancy new banner at the HUGE May Day march in Port Kembla on Saturday. We joined thousands of unionists and local people calling for a green future with good jobs for the Illawarra. It was great.
Be there: POWA contingent at Wollongong May Day Rally
12 noon, Saturday May 6, Wentworth Street, Port Kembla POWA will be marching with a “Sustainable Jobs Now: Stop Mining in Our Water Catchment” banner Find the South Coast Labour Council Facebook event here
Be there: POWA Creek Convoy, 10am Sunday May 7th
Its been a long time coming, but POWA is organising a follow-up to our Water Catchment Convoy of 2020. This time, we will be keeping it local, and visiting the suburban creeks of the Illawarra that we know and love – and have been impacted by the local coal mines we have been campaigning against…
Be there: Stop Russell Vale Mine Community Picket
Our friends at Stop Russell Vale Mine are holding a community picket next Friday 14th April, from 8am, at the main gate of the Russell Vale Colliery! You can find the Facebook event here. Get down there, bring a friend, stop some coal trucks, and learn the new smash hit campaign theme song “No Diggety”.…
Media Release: New South32 report details permanent damage to swamps and creeks by Dendrobium Mine
MEDIA RELEASE 4th April, 2023 New South32 report details permanent damage to swamps and creeks by Dendrobium Mine Wollongong, New South Wales — Further detail on the ongoing extensive damage caused by South32’s Dendrobium Mine has come to light, showing sustained damage to creeks, swamps and waterfalls close to the edge of Lake Avon. The…
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WOLLONGONG COAL HAVE RESTARTED WORK AT 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 2023
Protect Our Water Alliance 