Sydney Water ordered to clean Malabar treatment plant where fatberg is birthing poo balls

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has ordered Sydney Water to address a large fatberg at the Malabar wastewater treatment plant. This action follows the discovery that the fatberg is likely responsible for the "poo balls" that contaminated Sydney beaches last summer. The EPA's order includes removing accumulated fats, oils, and grease from a difficult-to-access area of the deep ocean outfall. Sydney Water is also required to develop a system for capturing debris during wet weather, study the formation of debris balls, and explore using technology to monitor their formation. A Sydney Water report acknowledges that fixing the problem by shutting down the ocean outfall would require diverting sewage and closing beaches for months, an approach deemed unacceptable. The EPA aims to prevent further pollution of beaches and protect the natural environment.

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