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Environmental Management

Central Coast Council has an extensive water delivery and sewage extraction network. Find out how the systems perform against Australian and New South Wales legislative guidelines.

    Water supply

    Central Coast’s water supply is delivered through 2,240km of mains, 71 reservoir structures and 50 pumping stations.

    Bulk raw water for the Central Coast is harvested from Wyong River, Ourimbah Creek, Mooney Creek, Mangrove Creek and a number of groundwater aquifers.

    Mangrove Creek Dam is the major raw water storage serving the Central Coast and has a capacity of 190,000ML. This storage is supplemented by Mooney Dam and Mardi Dam, with capacities of 4,600ML and 7,400ML respectively.

    Three water treatment plants provide filtered, treated drinking water to Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Somersby and Mardi Water Treatment Plants are conventional media filtration-based water treatment plants. Woy Woy Water Treatment Plant is a membrane-based filtration plant from a bore water source.

    Somersby and Mardi Water Treatment Plants have similar capacities (140 and 160 megalitres (ML) per day respectively), whilst Woy Woy Water Treatment Plant has a smaller capacity of 5ML per day, and is used as required.

    The water network was also previously operated cooperatively by the former Gosford and Wyong Councils, and no significant operational changes have been necessary due to the amalgamation into Central Coast Council.

    An agreement exists with Sydney Water for the supply of approximately 67ML of drinking water to residents in the Mooney Mooney area network. An agreement also exists with Hunter Water Corporation, to enable the transfer of treated water (in either direction) between the Council’s water system and the Hunter Water system.

    Sewerage operations

    Sewage is collected through Central Coast Council’s 2490km network of pipes and 324 pumping stations for treatment at one of eight treatment plants. Most sewage undergoes secondary treatment and is discharged into the ocean at Winney Bay in the south or Norah Head or Wonga Point ocean outfalls in the north.

    The balance of secondary treated sewage undergoes a higher degree of treatment to tertiary standard and is delivered as recycled water to school ovals, parks, used on site at the treatment Plant or in the north to golf courses (via a Commercial Agreement), for beneficial non-potable reuse.

    The former Wyong and Gosford sewerage systems were developed as stand-alone systems by the former Councils, with no linkages to each other or the Hunter, as exists with water supply. The exception being at Mooney Mooney where sewerage is pumped to Sydney Water’s Brooklyn treatment plant.

    Our sewerage plants are:

    Environment Protection Licences (EPLs)

    Environment Protection Licences (EPLs) are required for a number of activities which have the potential to impact on the environment under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (POEO Act).

    These licences are issued by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to control the impacts of pollution.

    Current Environment Protection Licences

    Central Coast Council currently holds eight Environment Protection Licences.

    LicencePremiseLocationActivityDocuments
    6052Kincumber LandfillCullens Rd, Kincumber Waste disposal by application to landView Licence
    6053Woy Woy LandfillNagari Rd, Woy WoyWaste disposal by application to landView Licence
    5955Buttonderry Waste Management FacilityHue Hue Rd, JillibyWaste disposal by application to landView Licence
    7643Waterways of Gosford LGAGosfordApplication of herbicidesView Licence
    1802Kincumber Sewerage Treatment SystemDoyle St, KincumberSewerage treatment processing by large plantsView Licence
    12170Waters of Mangrove Creek Dam & Mooney DamGosfordApplication of algaecidesView Licence
    12633Mooney Mooney & Cheero Point Sewerage SchemeMooney MooneySewerage treatment processing by small plantsView Licence
    1942Bateau Bay Sewerage SystemThe Entrance Road, Bateau BaySewerage treatment processing by small plantsView Licence
    2647Toukley Sewerage SystemWilfred Barrett Drive, NoravilleSewerage treatment processing by small plantsView Licence
    3200Tuggerah Lakes and the Tributaries of the Tuggerah Lakes, Wyong ShireThe Entrance ChannelWater-based extractive activityView Licence

    Council also has a Pesticide Use Notification Procedure for Outdoor Public Places.

    Pollution Incident Response Management Plans (PIRMPs)

    Under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (POEO Act), licensees are required to prepare and implement Pollution Incident Response Management Plans (PIRMPs). These plans are designed to ensure that pollution incidents are minimised through the identification of risks and the development of planned actions to minimise and manage those risks, and to ensure that emergency response procedures are developed and implemented in the event that an incident occurs.

    Plan objectives:

    • That the risks associated with these activities are mitigated, to ensure the protection of workers, the community and the environment.
    • That a comprehensive and timely response to all pollution incidents occurs, including the effective communication of the incident to the relevant authorities and those who may be affected by the impacts of the incident.
    • Compliance with all legislative requirements.

    A public version of council’s PIRMPs can be viewed using the links below:

    If you suspect a pollution incident has occurred as a result of a council activity, please contact council immediately (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) on 02 4306 7900.

    Environmental assessments

    Central Coast Council undertakes a significant number of infrastructure projects each year, many of which have the potential to impact upon our local environment. Council is committed to protecting and enhancing our local environment throughout our infrastructure development process. To support this, Council has a comprehensive system in place to assess potential environmental impacts during the planning phase of these operations and projects.

    Before any works commence, an Environmental Assessment is conducted to identify and evaluate the likely environmental effects of the proposed activity.

    This assessment helps guide Council’s decisions regarding:

    • Whether the activity is likely to have a significant environmental impact
    • Whether the activity should proceed
    • How the activity can be managed to minimise environmental harm.

    If the assessment indicates a significant impact is likely, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) must be prepared in accordance with Section 5.7 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (EP&A Act) before the activity may proceed.

    Reviews of Environmental Factors (REFs)

    Contaminated landfill sites

    Central Coast, like many regions across the country, has numerous open space and sporting facilities that are former landfill sites, a legacy from the 1960s and ‘70s.

    We closely monitor these sites for possible contamination and health risks; a standard practice for managing historical landfill sites such as these. 

    During 2018-2019, contamination was found in groundwater and surface water was observed above national contamination guidelines levels at:

    • Adcock Park, West Gosford
    • Hylton Moore Park, East Gosford
    • Frost Reserve, Kincumber 

    The contamination was from ammonia, per polyfluoroalkyl substances and landfill gases. There is no evidence this contamination is a risk to health or a need to halt sporting activities in these areas.

    With the assistance of the NSW Environment Protection Authority, we have developed Voluntary Management Plans for the ongoing monitoring and management of contamination in these areas. These can be viewed at:

    Read our frequently asked questions on Remediation for former landfill sites.

    Environmental pollution monitoring and reporting

    A number of the Environment Protection Licences (EPLs) held by Council require that pollution monitoring data be obtained when discharges to the environment occur.

    Note that some of the EPLs held by Council do not require pollution monitoring to be routinely undertaken. Links to pollution monitoring data for these EPLs are therefore not provided.

    Council is required to publish monitoring data as a condition of EPL 3200. This activity has not been undertaken within the last 4 years, therefore monitoring data has not been published.

    Ocean Outfall Water Quality and Benthic Process Monitoring Program

    Council has partnered with the University of Newcastle to undertake a comprehensive scientific study of ocean outfalls and surrounding marine environments, as part of an ongoing commitment to protecting public health and coastal ecosystems.

    The program involves seasonal scientific surveys at Council’s three licensed near shore ocean outfalls at Winney Bay, Wonga Point and Norah Head. The program began in January 2026 and will run across a full year, with the study to be replicated at five-year intervals to provide long-term monitoring.

    The research examines water quality and marine life on the seafloor (known as benthic environments) to better understand how ocean outfalls interact with the surrounding coastal ecosystem. The findings will support evidence-based decision making and help guide future infrastructure planning and environmental management.

    Community members may notice research vessels operating offshore near the outfalls during the monitoring period. These activities are part of scientific surveys and are not a cause for concern.

    Frequently asked questions

    • Council is undertaking a monitoring program to assess water quality and impacts to the environment around the Council’s licenced ocean outfalls. The program includes both water quality and benthic assessments. The purpose of the program is to understand if there are any potential impacts from the discharge of treated wastewater (effluent) on public health and the marine environment. This will help guide ongoing management of the sewage treatment plants.

    • ‘Benthic’ refers to the plants, animals and processes that occur on the seafloor. Studying benthic environments helps scientists understand how marine ecosystems function and how they respond to changes in their environment.

    • The monitoring program is being undertaken to assist Council in meeting its regulatory requirements. This activity is crucial to the management of Council’s operations, protecting public health and the environment.

    • Council, in collaboration with the University of Newcastle, have developed the water quality and benthic monitoring program in accordance with industry standards and the most up-to-date methodologies.

      The water quality testing will include:

      • physio-chemical and biological parameters (including nutrients and chlorophyll a)
      • stable isotopes as natural tracers (an effective way of determining the source of nutrients)
      • Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment including risk assessments of Enterococcus and the use of quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR)

      The benthic surveys include:

      • habitat composition
      • biodiversity (the variety of species present and their abundance), including invertebrates, fish and organisms living on rock platforms
      • ocean sediment characteristics
      • tissue analysis of seafood

    • Surveys will be carried out seasonally (once per quarter) over a 12 month period to capture seasonal variations. The 12-month program will then be repeated every five years until 2036 to track longer-term trends over time. 

      The aim is to assess and quantify any impacts from treated wastewater (effluent) on the receiving environment, and to inform future planning and system management.

    • No. The program is a monitoring and research initiative only. It does not involve construction works or changes to the 
      existing ocean outfalls. 

    • The results will support long-term monitoring of marine environments and help guide future environmental management and infrastructure planning decisions.

    • Council runs a range of water quality monitoring and improvement programs to help protect local waterways and support healthy outcomes for the community and the environment.

      More information on these programs is available below:

    • Water quality monitoring is undertaken at Central Coast recreation beaches as part of the Beachwatch water quality monitoring program. Council monitors and reports on the water quality of 32 swimming sites, including 15 ocean beaches, to inform the community and report on where it is safe to swim. 

      Council recommends that people avoid swimming for at least one day after rain at ocean beaches, and for up to three days after rain at lagoon/lake and estuarine sites. 

      To make an informed decision on where and when to swim, Council recommends the community identify the pollution likelihood of your beach through the daily Beachwatch forecast page. Weekly Beachwatch results are available on the NSW Government’s Beachwatch website. When viewing this data, please consider the date the site was last tested as conditions can change quickly due to environmental factors. 

      Please refer to Beachwatch Program | Central Coast Council for more information.

      Always check the Central Coast Council website for the most current information. When swimming at one of the Central Coast's beautiful beaches, always follow the lifeguard directions and obey warning signs. At patrolled beaches, the safest place to swim is between the flags.

    • Council’s Pollution Incident Response Management Plan – Water and Sewer is a legal document outlining the actions and reporting undertaken by Council to protect human health and the environment during pollution incidents.

      In the event of a system failure causing pollution, warning signage will be installed and a water quality program will be initiated. Signage will only be removed once the area has returned to a pre-pollution state.

    • By improving understanding of water quality and seafloor ecosystems, the program helps Council manage ocean outfalls responsibly and protect coastal and marine environments.

    Useful documents

    Related Pages

    Last updated: 01/05/2026