Regulating powers
Sydney Water Catchment Management Regulation 2008
The Sydney Water Catchment Management Regulation 2008 covers all of the Sydney Catchment Authority's (SCA) area of operations. It allows the SCA to exercise certain powers under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 relating to pollution sources that can affect water quality in the catchment. It does not apply to premises and activities covered by an environment protection licence from the Department of Premier and Cabinet. The SCA keeps a public register of all notices that we issue under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.
The regulation also allows the SCA to ban and restrict activities - including fishing, extracting water, driving vehicles or riding horses, removing plants and wildlife, removing rocks, swimming, boating, camping and lighting fires - to areas where they will not harm the catchment or affect water quality.
The SCA maintains a public register of notices and other information relating to the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.
Regulating planning and development in the catchment
The SCA has a key role to oversee development in the catchment by implementing planning and development regulation under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Sydney Drinking Water Catchment) 2011 (which replaces the Drinking Water Catchments Regional Environmental Plan No 1) and the Sydney Drinking Water Catchments Local Planning Direction 5.2. Detailed maps showing the location and boundaries of Sydney's drinking water catchment are available.
