“With the flooding in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley the spill will contribute to the flood waters already in the system,” WaterNSW said.

Police also confirmed the body of a man was found in water at Penrith on Saturday.

“About 7.45am today, emergency services were called to King Street at Penrith after a member of the public located a man’s body in water near a reserve,” NSW Police said in a statement.

The NSW State Emergency Service Commissioner Carlene York said her agency had performed 152 rescues, 77 of them in the Sydney area, and responded to more than 2000 incidents.

“There’s blue sky out there, but the rivers are still rising,” York said.

Evacuation alerts were issued on Saturday morning for residents near Manly Dam and Narrabeen Lagoon in the city’s north, as well as for parts of the city’s north-west fringe near Richmond, the Hawkesbury, and Picton, south-west of Sydney.

Residents in low-lying parts of Chipping Norton were told to evacuate at 12.35am on Saturday. On Saturday morning, further alerts were issued for other parts of Chipping Norton, as well as Penrith, Georges Hall and Woronora.

Evacuation centres have been established at Club Richmond, Liverpool Club and the Bankstown Sports Club.

The state’s wild weather continues to play havoc with Sydney’s public transport, with severe disruption to trains, buses and ferries on Saturday despite cloudless skies.

A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said motorists and public transport passengers in Sydney and surrounding areas should avoid non-essential travel in flood-affected areas, with some major roads and public transport still subject to flooding.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Steven Bernasconi said the threat posed by wind and rain would contract towards the state’s south-east and Sydney could expect more average weather conditions on Sunday.

More than a month’s worth of rain fell over Sydney, Port Macquarie and Taree on Friday, delaying trains, cutting power and leading to evacuation alerts.

Wollongong recorded 230mm of rainfall in the 24 hours to 6.19am on Saturday, the NSW SES said. High Range in the Southern Highlands recorded 190mm of rainfall in the 24 hours to 7.11am.

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Surfers and other beachgoers have been warned to stay “well away from the surf and surf-exposed areas” due to dangerous conditions, particularly at east-facing beaches.

Scores of community sports teams had their winter seasons delayed, with flooded grounds from Wollondilly to the northern beaches closed all weekend.

with AAP