The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has released its latest air quality monitoring results for the Cadia Valley and surface and groundwater sampling results in the upper Belubula River.
In total, 16 months of continuous air quality monitoring have now been conducted which found that air quality in the area is generally good to fair.
The latest air quality monitoring data reinforces the previous positive results, indicating that air quality remains within acceptable limits. Notably:
- 97% of daily air quality readings at Air Quality Monitoring Stations were in the good to fair range.
- Six days of poor air quality were recorded – five in Orange and one in Millthorpe – likely due to wood heater smoke in winter.
- PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less) levels remained below the daily benchmark throughout the study period.
Out of 64 valid samples collected from the Directional High Volume Air Samplers, heavy metal levels were very low, with most samples below laboratory detection limits.
The air quality monitoring program will conclude after 22 months of continuous operation at the end of June 2025.
A full air quality report for June to November 2024 can be found on our website: The Cadia region | EPA.
Throughout 2024, the EPA conducted regular surface and groundwater sampling in the region and in December extended our monitoring to include surface water on-site at three licensed premises.
Results from the December surface water sampling were similar to previous sampling results with low levels of PFAS detected at 16 locations above ecological water quality guidelines.
Surface water sampling was also conducted at Cadia Gold Mine, Blayney Landfill and Australian Native Landscapes (ANL) composting facility (located on a former mine site). Cadia Mine PFOS levels ranged from 0.0003 to 0.0046 µg/L. Blayney Council landfill PFOS levels ranged from 0.0034 to 0.05 µg/L). ANL PFAS levels ranged from 0.63 µg/L to 1.5 µg/L).
The EPA has imposed new licence conditions on the Environment Protection Licences of Cadia Valley Operations, Australian Native Landscapes (Blayney) and Blayney Landfill requiring each site to undertake detailed investigations to assess potential on and offsite impacts. These assessments will inform the EPA's future regulatory activities. Changes to each licence are reflected on the EPA's public register.
The presence of PFAS in the environment does not necessarily indicate that there is a health risk, however identifying sites that require investigation is an important precaution to reduce the risk of community exposure to PFAS.
NSW Health advises that water from rivers and creeks should not be used for drinking or cooking without appropriate treatment. Untreated water may contain disease causing micro-organisms, chemical contaminants or algal blooms.
