The Government is investigating ways to better regulate the practice, where chemicals are used to help break up the rock and coal seam to release methane gas for capture.

‘‘The NSW Government recognises significant recent community concern over the potential for pollution of aquifers by the coal seam gas industry as part of the fracking process,’’ Mr Hartcher said.

‘‘That’s why we’re proceeding with caution and making sure the proper frameworks are in place for the protection of our aquifers, our environment and our prime agricultural land.’’

Meantime, Wollongong City Council has asked Wingecarribee Shire and other adjoining councils to join it in a united front against coal seam gas exploration in catchment areas.

The move may have come too late for the opponents of the CSG project at Darkes Forest, where a 16th exploration bore was approved last month by the Planning Assessment Commission, in a Sydney Catchment Authority ‘‘special area’’.

Wollongong council says it does not have any power to appeal against this decision.

A spokeswoman for Planning Minister Brad Hazzard said water catchment areas were being considered along with other lands as the Government worked out land use policies to protect certain areas from coal mining and coal seam gas extraction.

‘‘The Government is consulting regularly with a range of stakeholders to develop plans which strike a balance between all competing land uses,’’ she said.

INTERACTIVE: Click here to see a map of CSG exploration and production