The final concept plan for the Lake Parramatta Swimming Area Upgrade project has been revealed, but some Councillors think it should be flushed down the toilet.
Following community consultation, a revised concept plan on the lake has been bought back to Parramatta Council for approval. However, local resident Monica Kelly believes it’s the sewage system that deserves the upgrades, describing the current toilet facilities as “third-world”.
Kelly urged Council to reconsider developing the lake in line with the current concept plan while the sewage system is “outdated and defective”.
“Frequently the flashing light, the red light on top of the septic tank is going, disgusting smells emanate from that tank, in fact in December last year I took a video of it bleaching this raw sewage into the lake, it was surrounded by flies,” she said.
“50,000 people annually visit the lake and yet there are just a few toilets for both men and women and there are no showers and there are no changing facilities.”
Kelly said the upgrading of the sewage system is urgent.
“Perhaps not next year, but eventually the sewage system will need to be upgraded to be first-world standard,” she said.
“I don’t want to see my beloved lake the subject of a health emergency, a dysentery outbreak or some other well understood illness that’s contracted when swimming in human excrement.”
In response to Kelly’s concerns, Cr Kellie Darley moved an amendment that a report come back to Council on the functioning of the septic tank and when it will need to be upgraded.
“I think it’s important that we do get a report back on the functioning of that infrastructure in regard to the toilet facilities because I have seen it struggling in the summer months,” she said.
“Given how popular the swimming area is I think it is important that we take a look at that, I know water quality testing is down regularly and so while there maybe sometimes overflow it’s obviously not impacting on the health of the lake.”
Darley also added that the grant that has been given to the Council for the upgrades is specifically to improve access to and recreational engagement with natural waterways.
“The funding that’s been provided by the Department of Planning is for the specific upgrade to the swimming area and that does need to be done because they are a number of safety issues and a number of access issues at the lake,” she said.
“What we need to do is do this upgrade, and then look at the other things we need to do.”
Council also revealed the pumps as part of the toilet system had recently been upgraded and the systems fault following overflow issues had been rectified.
Cr Michelle Garrard successfully moved that the decision on the lake’s concept plan be pushed to the following meeting, so Councillors might be able to get a better outcome.
“If you’re going to have somewhere to swim, you have to have somewhere to shower and change, even if they’re cold showers,” she said.
“You need an amenity that’s going to suit the activity that goes on in the area. We know the current amenity block is well overdue for a replacement.”
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.