Pressure washing and soft washing in Dora Creek

Why does washing runoff matter so much in Dora Creek?

Its Aboriginal name, Doree Doree, means creek running into a lake: the creek's banks reach out into the lake as two points, because wind-driven waves wash away the flood plain that would otherwise form. Lake Macquarie Council has carried out major foreshore restoration here and works to teach residents about protecting creeks and waterways.

Separate houses made up 96.6% of occupied homes in 2021. The NSW EPA rule is that water from any washing job must not go down the stormwater drains, since they carry it untreated into creeks and lakes, so runoff from pressure washing a driveway has to be kept out of them. Walls and roofs get a soft wash instead of high pressure.

Key figures

96.6%

of occupied dwellings were separate houses in 2021

Sources

• Wikipedia, Dora Creek, New South Wales
• ABS 2021 Census QuickStats, Dora Creek
• NSW EPA, The drain is just for rain
• NSW Spatial Services, Administrative Boundaries (postcode, council, distance, neighbours)