Watchdog Orders Fat Removal from Sydney Sewer

The New South Wales environment watchdog has mandated that Sydney Water remove accumulated fats from its Malabar wastewater treatment plant. This action comes after a significant fatberg, potentially as large as four Sydney buses, was identified as the cause of 'poo balls' that led to beach closures last summer. The fatberg is located in a difficult-to-access area of the plant's deep ocean outfall.

Sydney Water received a pollution reduction program requiring both immediate and long-term solutions. These include clearing fats, oils, and grease from the inaccessible bulkhead area, developing a system to capture overflow debris during wet weather, and initiating studies to better understand debris ball formation. The watchdog stressed Sydney Water's responsibility in protecting the state's beaches.

Previous attempts to address the issue were complex, involving potential shutdowns of the ocean outfall. A report from August 2025 indicated that diverting sewage could lead to months-long beach closures. Sydney Water has previously removed substantial amounts of fat, including debris balls, from accessible parts of the system, acknowledging in early 2026 that the ocean outfall was likely the source of the debris.