GEOP200/604 - Environment and Society: Urban Pollution Challenges

This essay examines the socio-ecological challenges encountered by cities, focusing on the pollution of the Paramatta River in Australia as a case study. It discusses the impact of urbanization, industrial waste, and stormwater pollution on the river's health and biodiversity. The literature review highlights the various pollutants affecting water quality, including weeds, animal erosion, sedimentation, and toxic industrial residue. The essay also explores the historical context of water management in the area, noting how early settlers' activities altered the river's flow and reduced water quality. Furthermore, the study identifies management issues such as the loss of riparian vegetation and the contamination of urban areas due to stormwater runoff. The solution section suggests the need for effective waste management, recycling, and the restoration of natural vegetation to mitigate the adverse effects of urbanization and industrialization on the Parramatta River and similar urban ecosystems. Desklib provides a platform for students to access this and other solved assignments.

Running Head: ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY
Environment And Society
Name of Student
Name of University
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Introduction
Extensive urbanization has caused a loss of green space and threatened the biodiversity of
metropolitan areas. Since the ecological system of the cityscape is deeply associated with the
social system developed by humans (Elmqvist et al 2013), it becomes necessary to conduct an
interdisciplinary research and plan a framework for ensuring biodiversity maintenance in urban
areas. Sustainability considerations that is the methodical interplay between ecological, socio-
cultural, environmental and economic considerations are crucial strategic aspects for determining
the future improvement of the urban sphere. This realm involves challenges concerning climate
change, natural resources and water availability. Discussing ecological issues in context to urban
challenges, sustainability challenge is a point to start with since it is linked to urbane space
(Adger 2000). There are further relevant considerations involving the implications of urban
development and the impacts it has on other activities carried out within the geographical space.
The connection between the urban and rural is not compulsively to be considered a negative one;
urban space is not necessarily an intruder or and eroder of the ecological space. Rather, there is
an elaborate interplay between the activities of urban space with the ones that are directly
connected to that of the rural space having certain mutual benefits. The two differing spaces are
therefore symbiotically linked, each re-enforcing the vitality and survival of both. However, the
existence of an ecological footprint left by the urban space on the ‘hinterland’ cannot be denied.
Additionally, the social facets of city life like value orientation, human satisfaction and
demographics entail ‘green’ connotations. For instance, the way climatic changes can affect the
availability and quality of water have deep consequences for society and its inhabitants.
The vitality of water as a valuable source of human survival is a widely acknowledged
fact although very little is being done for the protection and preservation of the water bodies.

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This paper considers the issue of the pollution of the Paramatta river for analyzing the socio-
ecological challenges encountered by cities.
Literature review
Australia’s most developed catchments, the Paramatta River, is a source of nourishment
for many citizens. While a considerable number of people depend on the river for basic
necessities, several activities of these same people have unfavorable impacts on the health of the
river. Storm water pollution is one of the main contributors to health deterioration of the river.
Both in semi-urban and urban areas, the rain falling on the house roof or the collected raindrops
in footpaths, roads and driveways is channelized and carried through a pope system called the
stormwater system. The system is designed to channelize the flow of water directly from the
street drains to rivers and creeks. Some systems are modified to filter and treat the water before it
flows down to the river, but in most cases the water in its untreated and impure state coalesces
into the river. This indicates how everything that is washed down by the drains like pesticides,
litter and oil accumulates in the waterways. Pollutants like mulch, soil and weed is easily washed
away during rainfall and erodes the water bodies (Montoya 2015). Since beaches and rivers are
heavily impacted by stormwater pollution, the quality if water worsens significantly after rain.
Some major pollutants responsible for quality degradation are as follows:
Weed- the impact of weed on catchments not threatens the native flora and fauna but also
degrades its health. They might choke the waterways, smother native plants and destroy native
animal habitats. Weeds have made it to bush lands from people’s backyards due to water runoffs
and animals or the winds carry their cuttings and seeds. As grass clippings, cuttings and pruning
are dumped into bushlands, it allows weed to invade and spread quickly. Noxious weeds threaten
animal and human health, causing significant damage to the environment and agricultural

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production. Environmental weed reduce the environmental value of bushlands by invading them.
They produce huge number of seeds and have very few predators.
Erosion by animals- introduced animals is a major threat to the Paramatta river catchment. The
eroded river attracts several animals that pollute both the land and the water bodies. Some birds
and rabbits damage vegetation, which is a primary cause of erosion.
Sedimentation- the waterways are gradually becoming muddier and shallower, which is most
noticeable after a heavy downpour. Human activities like vehicle use, building and clearing leave
the ground bare the soil is hence washed away easily during rain. The fertile topsoil is removed
by erosion and the washed away soil contains minerals, seeds, organic matters and nutrients.
When sand, dust, soil, building debris, paint and cement accumulate at the waterways, they block
drains, causes algal blooms, causes health hazards for swimmers, suffocate and smother water
plants and affects the ability of animals to reproduce.
Some lobby groups are attempting to sanction the harbor to eliminate the argumentative
issue concerning marine parks. More efforts and strategies need to be implemented for ensuring
that the waterways remain exemplary, a nurturing estuary replete with aquatic life for everyone
to enjoy. A fanciful utopia of marine park is a far cry and the blame lies with excessive
urbanization. The government has good reasons for shutting down commercial fishing (Banks et
al 2016) since the fish species are under constant threats of extinction. The quality of water is the
biggest quality by far and the water management teams must ensure clean sources for protecting
marine life. Environmentalists ned to invest more energy and time on water quality to make a
progress with sustainability and ecological preservation. The sediments of the Paramatta river are
so hazardously polluted that it is no longer safe to consume fish in the west of Harbor Bridge.
Researchers have discovered concentrations of lead, zinc and copper from industrial work (Lee

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et al 2014) and stormwater in Port Jackson which is toxic enough for rendering sterility to the
oysters. The canaries in the marine world are oysters and a drop in the oyster population would
indicate the same in the population of fish. People with even a remote interest in the environment
and the waterway in particular should come together for a similar cause and invest their energies
at fixing the problem of pollution. The harbors are far from a pristine environment and the
backyards need to be cleaned first (Lee 2014) before starting any venture on marine parks. The
toxic residue accumulating for fifty years sits at the bottom of the Paramatta river. This toxic
bomb has the potential to worsen the pollution levels which are already high. The extensive
developments along the river shore further pollutes the sullied water. The part of the river
flowing beneath the Ryde Bridge is awfully degraded in oxygen and produces huge quantities of
acid excretions and marsh gas. The increased level of biological oxygen caused due to
microbiological activity is lethal for the life and health of marine animals. A motor cruiser was
used recently to gather data and sample from the river, it was observed that the most depleted
upper reaches are not flushed substantially by tidal actions. The bottom has saline and more
denser water according to the different layering shown by the water column. A saline wedge
keeps moving up and down the river bottom during tidal cycle and mixes negligibly with the
upper layer of the water which is less density and pollution.
The problem:
It needs to be mentioned that water pollution is both natural and caused by humanity.
Natural water pollution is caused due the flow of salt into fresh water, animal decay and volcanic
gases that merges with the river waters after an eruption. The concerned authority must look for
ways to effective waste management. The industrial waste must be disposed with a plan that is
environmentally conscious. Hazardous waste must be managed conscientiously with the help of

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sustainable technology. One of the primary contributors to the pollution of the Parramatta River
is the poor management of industrial waste. Manufacturing produces chemical pollutants which
is disposed to the water bodies, jeopardizing the life of marine animals. Some industrial wastes,
which are less hazardous to health (Evan et al 2016), can be recycled to reduce the amount of
waste. Waste separation is another aspect that requires proper attention. Plastics and industrial
materials take years for decomposition and hence should be segregated during disposal.
Composting and recycling should be put to more practice for ensuring the water bodies are not
the only dumping ground for wastes. A case study conducted on the estuaries of the Parramatta
river revealed the following results: the water supply, control and transport concerning the early
settlers of the area have altered the river’s flow. Catchment inputs dominate the quality in the
estuary and substantial area of the river is suitable for human contact (McLoughlin 2000).
Another factor that has reduced the quality of water is the broad alterations of the estuarine
shingle which reduces the tidal flushing in several areas. The natural vegetation remaining in the
catchment is allied to creeklines. The study undertook various vegetation assessments and the
reports suggests that reclamation works have caused a loss of riparian vegetation and cleared the
frequency of various exotic species. The study further found certain drawbacks in the
management issues. Natural vegetation has diminished vastly due to urbanization along the
catchment. The foreshore and the catchment has very little areas of vegetation, the focus of the
management should therefore revolve around restoring and preserving the remaining areas of
natural vegetation. Efforts should be made for the enhancement and maintenance of riparian
corridors. The quality of water within the river catchments has diminished significantly
following European settlement. Point sources, land contamination and pacts industrialization
have been chief contributors of deteriorated water quality. The greenhouse impacts of

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urbanization (Umakanthan and Ball 2005) and the variations to natural landscapes have changed
the usual climatic conditions. The urban sprawl and increased population is likely to have more
consequences. Government, private and public land ownership in close proximity to the
catchment need to be balanced for avoiding conflict in management initiatives. Findings of the
study suggests that urban areas are prone to contamination due to stormwater. Land use accounts
for the kinds of pollutants that enter into the lower layer of the Parramatta River. Faecal
materials and large quantities of dissolved materials were recorded in highly developed areas.
This implies that maerials from sources like seeker leaks, animal faeces and sewer overflows are
the primary inputs of water depletion. Areas with lesser use of industrial land have better water
quality since the catchment activities generate different types of pollutant loads. The increased
size and number of rainproof areas in the cityscape has reduced the expanse of rain infiltrating
the ground or retained in vegetation. As a consequence, increased amount of runoff stormwater
enter the receiving waterways and the drainage system. The timing of the peak flow arrival has
also changed due to urbanization. The drainage systems of storm water had been traditionally
constructed for removing storm water as fast as possible from the residential areas for
minimizing the risk of flood and rainwater stagnation. The catchments which are less modified
release run-offs over a large period of time which assists in maintaining healthier and improved
water environments. The heavily urbanized channels of the Parramatta River estuary is designed
in a way to channelize the flow of streamwater directly into the river. This means that all the
sediments and pollutants the stream water carries with it enters directly into the river without
getting filtered. The pollution in the river is the root cause of several water-borne diseases.
Earlier, when fishing in the harbor was allowed, people consuming fishes rendered toxic by the

7ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY
pollutants contracted diseases. The pollution has also destroyed the delicate wetlands that
surrounded the area.
The solution:
A commitment summing up to 5 million dollars is initiated over the last three years for
making the water of the Parramatta River safe and suitable for swimming again. The campaign
aims to restore the swimmable characteristic of the river by the year 2025 (Cunningham, and
Birtles 2015). The Catchment group of the Parramatta River is leading the campaign. Although
the group has not yet been able to declare the source funding of the campaign the authorities
stated that the 5 million will would inaugurate frameworks and contrivances to make the water of
the river swimmable again and begin activation on-ground (Gardner et al 2015). As far-fetched
as it may sound to restore the river exactly in its original state, eminent professor of New South
Wales Dr. Stuart Khan hints its possibility, stressing a lot on the immense hard work it will
require. He further stated that one of the key issues concerning the cleaning up of the river was
getting out sewerage from it. For starters, it is ideal to make people aware of the dire
consequences of water pollution and help them understand the grimness of the issue before
looking at the ways for identifying the sources of the illegal connections and look for ways the
mishaps could be rectified. For identifying and fixing the leakages in the sewage system, it
requires massive work on infrastructure (Ball 1998). For pushing this issue, the community as a
whole need to be made aware. State budgets are highly dependent on community support and
disinterest on the behalf of the community will not raise the required fund from the State. It is
more about promoting consciousness and getting citizens excited about being able to swim in the
river again. The government is supporting the catchment group of the Parramatta River through
agencies. The Local Land Services of Sydney has developed a harbor for improving the water

8ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY
quality of the harbor catchment. The improvement plans and other modelling tools are guiding
the problems related to water quality and aims to make the river swimmable again by the next 30
years. The models have been utilized for demonstrating the feasibility of this initiative along
with providing guidance on the ways of progress and proceedings. The council of Parramatta
river voted in support of the group’s vision that the campaign has both the potential to transform
the coarseness of the place and preserve its surroundings. Changes in the infrastructure like
walking tracks and cycle ways will have a major role in rejuvenating the river (Hughes 2000).
The purpose of having a pristine river is to attract animals and humans towards it, so that they
can benefit and enjoy the same. There is no denying that activities like swimming in the
historical place called Little Cooge cannot be made possible overnight but the works executed on
some parts of the river looks quite promising. More strenuous efforts must be made on the east
sections of the river since it is in worse shape than the rest of the areas. The council have
conducted several studies and one of the crucial findings were that the poor planning around the
banks of the river in by previous settlements have failed to make proper use of the waterway. In
order to prevent the rubbish from getting into the river, Catchment groups are working hard since
the last 5 years to place the measures effectively. Expert of ecological conservation opine that
what the people need to realize is the importance of natural resources in ensuring sustenance and
improving the quality of life. The native species living in the catchment are as many as 360, and
many of them play a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance. These species also ensure
the revitalization of the river which helps in resorting the swim ability, the active space and the
vibrancy of the river so both the humans and animals can take due advantage of it. The surge of
interest to protect the remaining natural resources of the earth has greatly benefitted the
campaigns issued in interest of preserving the river. Protection of the natural ecosystem will

9ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY
require strategic action and collective planning. The Parramatta River Catchment Group, called
the PRCG, council groups, State Government and communities, aims to work together for
improving the river’s health. PRCG is requesting the people to vote for their most favored
mascots from the lot of native species in the river for encouraging the residents of Sydney to
rally for the protection of the endangered ecosystems and the species native to them. The
regional collaboration of PRCG aims to ensure synchronization of efforts, efficient use of
resources for achieving a better impact on administrative decisions and policies that affects the
catchment. The PRCG launched a campaign called Our Living River Initiative with the motive
of making the Parramatta River more swimmable. The council has introduced a masterplan for
essential steps required for meeting the objective. It has taken an approach based on strong
outcomes for simplifying the complex task. Further, a rehabilitation of streams is desirable and
the remaining natural waterways must be protected from the hazardous impacts of weeds, urban
encroachment and urban stormwater. This calls for more advanced stormwater management and
proper planning of the sewerage system. The activists have also stressed on the preservation of
species to ensure a natural flow on the improvement rates of the program.
Conclusion
Based on the studies conducted on the pollution of Paramatta River, it can be asserted
that pollution of water bodies is one of the chief socio-ecological challenges of cities. It has
similar consequences for the environment and the health and well-being of human beings. The
state and the government are making ample efforts for improving the poor condition of the river,
although it will remain a far cry as long as people are not made conscious of the importance of
preserving natural resources like rivers. The council responsible for environmental conservation
should implement better waste management policies since the waste mismanagement is the

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primary contributor of pollution. The campaigns initiated by the concerned council are highly
promising, but they require constant communal support for achieving the objectives.

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Banks, J.L., Hutchings, P., Curley, B., Hedge, L., Creese, B. and Johnston, E., 2016. Biodiversity
conservation in Sydney Harbour. Pacific Conservation Biology, 22(2), pp.98-109.
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