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
Oppose the Metropolitan Mine Modification Proposal- Submission Guide
Metropolitan Mine wants to expand its coal mining in our water catchmentPlease join us in writing a submission to object to this expansion.It can be as long or short as you like, but it needs to be in your own words and stateclearly that you object to Modification 4 – Longwalls 317 and 318, MetropolitanColliery.…
South32 plans to sell Dendrobium and Appin Mines – expansions back on the cards? POWA says “no chance”
POWA had a chat to Connor Pearce from The Illawarra Mercury – here’s the link to the article ‘Not if we can help it,’ Illawarra activists tell new mine boss By Connor Pearce Updated March 6 2024 – 7:03am, first published March 4 2024 – 2:56pm After the buyer of South32’s Illawarra coal mines left…
South32 announces sell-off of Dendrobium and Appin mines to “decarbonise”
You can read more about it here – they have shed some carbon from their ledger for a neat $2.4 billion, and plan to sell to a consortium of Queensland-based M Resources, and Singapore/Indonesia-based Golden Energy and Resources. Farewell South32, hopefully they pay the $2.9 million fine for drinking water losses before they go.
Protect Water, Protect Workers: community rally outside Planning Minister’s Wollongong office
Dharawal Country, New South Wales — Community group Protect Our Water Alliance (POWA) will hold a community rally outside NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully’s Wollongong office tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 8am. This follows an announcement earlier this month by mining company Wollongong Resources that they are closing their Russell Vale and Wongawilli Collieries, laying off…
Love bikes, hate coal? Everyone’s fave mining multinational South32 sponsored cycling event coming to Wollongong in September!
Great write up and exploration of the issues in the Illawarra Flame https://www.theillawarraflame.com.au/south32-sponsors-ride-wollongong Keep your eyes peeled for some POWAful shenangians during the event…
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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 2025
Protect Our Water Alliance 