Beachwatch monthly reports Beachwatch monthly reports provide a snapshot of bacterial levels in the previous month as well as information on rainfall and pollution incidents, such as sewage overflows and sewage treatment plant bypasses. The latest reports are available for: • Northern Sydney beaches - covers the ocean beaches from Palm Beach to Shelly Beach (Manly), and harbour beaches in Pittwater and North Harbour • Sydney Central Beaches - covers the ocean beaches from Bondi to Malabar, and harbour beaches in Middle Harbour, lower Lane Cove River, lower Parramatta River and Port Jackson • Sydney Southern Beaches - covers the ocean beaches in the Sutherland Shire, and harbour beaches in Botany Bay, lower Georges River and Port Hacking Northern Sydney Beaches Water Quality during March 2012 Despite heavy rain, the water quality at Sydney's northern beaches was generally good during March, with 24 of the 35 beaches suitable for swimming on all sampling occasions. The best performing beaches were: • Pittwater: Clareville Beach, North Scotland Island, South Scotland Island, Elvina Bay, Bayview Baths and The Basin • Ocean beaches: Palm, Whale, Avalon, Bilgola, Newport, Bungan, Mona Vale, Turimetta, North Narrabeen, Collaroy, Dee Why, North Curl Curl, South Curl Curl, Freshwater, North Steyne, and Shelly (Manly) • North Harbour: Forty Baskets Pool and Manly Cove. Enterococci levels exceeded the safe swimming limit of 40 cfu/100mL in one of the five samples at the following locations: • Pittwater: Paradise Beach Baths, Taylors Point Baths and Great Mackerel Beach • Ocean beaches: Warriewood, Long Reef, Queenscliff and South Steyne • Lagoon: Birdwood Park (Narrabeen Lagoon) • North Harbour: Fairlight Beach and Little Manly Cove. At Barrenjoey Beach in Pittwater, enterococci levels just exceeded the safe swimming limit of 40 cfu/100mL in three of the five samples (56 cfu/100mL on 6 March, 50 cfu/100 mL on 12 March and 53 cfu/100mL on 30 March). Water quality at this site is likely to have been impacted by the estuarine plume from the Hawkesbury River. Sydney experienced the wettest March since 1984, with 269.8 mm of rain recorded at Observatory Hill, more than double the long term average for the month. Rain fell over 16 days, with the heaviest falls on 1-5 March, 8 March and 17 March. A wet weather bypass of secondary biological treatment was reported at Warriewood Wastewater Treatment plant on 8 February and ran for 1 day and 5 hours. Beachwatch recommends that swimming be avoided for one day after heavy rainfall at ocean beaches and for up to three days after rainfall at harbour beaches. Before heading to the beach, particularly after it has been raining, check pollution levels by phoning the Beachwatch telephone information line on Freecall 1800 036 677, check the Beachwatch website at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/beach or follow us on Twitter @BeachwatchNSW. When at the beach, look for signs of stormwater pollution such as discoloured water, or litter in the water or on the tide line before entering the water. Enterococci. Sydney Northern Region Beachwatch and Harbourwatch –– March 2012 Pittwater Northern Beaches North Harbour 10000 safe for swimming individual sample 1000 100 Enterococci Density (cfu/100 mL) (cfu/100 Density Enterococci 10 1 Bilgola Avalon Bungan Collaroy Newport Dee Dee Why Turimetta The The Basin Long Long Reef ElvinaBay Mona Vale Mona Sth Steyne Nth Steyne Freshwater Queenscliff Manly Cove Warriewood PalmBeach Sth Curl Curl Sth Curl Nth Curl Curl Nth Curl Whale Whale Beach Nth Narrabeen Nth Bayview Baths Bayview Fairlight Beach Fairlight Clareville Beach Clareville Little Manly Manly Cove Little Barrenjoey Beach Barrenjoey Narrabeen Lagoon Narrabeen Forty Forty Baskets Pool Taylors Point Baths TaylorsPoint Shelly Beach (Manly) Shelly Beach North Scotland Island Scotland North South Scotland Island Scotland South Paradise Beach Baths Beach Paradise Great MackerelBeach Great Central Sydney Beaches Water Quality during March 2012 The water quality at Sydney's central beaches was impacted by rainfall during March, with only 12 of the 29 beaches suitable for swimming on all five sampling occasions. The best performing beaches were: • Ocean beaches: Bondi, Tamarama, Clovelly, Bronte, Coogee, Maroubra and Malabar • Middle Harbour: Chinamans Beach, Balmoral Baths and Edwards Beach • Port Jackson: Parsley Bay and Watsons Bay. Elevated enterococci levels exceeded the safe swimming limit of 40 cfu/100mL in one or more samples at the following locations: • Ocean beaches: Little Bay • Middle Harbour: Davidson Reserve, Gurney Crescent Baths, Northbridge Baths and Clontarf Pool • Port Jackson: Hayes Street Beach, Redleaf Pool, Clifton Gardens, Rose Bay Beach and Nielsen Park • Lower Lane Cove River: Tambourine Bay, Woodford Bay and Woolwich Baths • Lower Parramatta River: Cabarita Beach, Chiswick Baths, Dawn Fraser Pool and Greenwich Baths. Sydney experienced the wettest March since 1984, with 269.8 mm of rain recorded at Observatory Hill, more than double the long term average for the month. Rain fell over 16 days, with the heaviest falls on 1-5 March, 8 March and 17 March. Rainfall triggered wet weather sewage overflows into the Lane Cove River on 1-5, 7-9 and 17 March, into the Parramatta River on 2, 7-8 and 17 March, and into Middle Harbour on 8-9 March. On 12 March, a dry weather sewage overflow at the corner of Waratah Street and Bayswater Road at Rushcutters Bay entered Rushcutters Bay via a stormwater drain, resulting in enterococi levels above the safe swimming limit in the vicinity of the discharge point. Beachwatch recommends that swimming be avoided for one day after heavy rainfall at ocean beaches and for up to three days after rainfall at harbour beaches. Before heading to the beach, particularly after it has been raining, check pollution levels by phoning the Beachwatch telephone information line on Freecall 1800 036 677, check the Beachwatch website at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/beach or follow us on Twitter @BeachwatchNSW. When at the beach, look for signs of stormwater pollution such as discoloured water, or litter in the water or on the tide line before entering the water. Enterococci. Sydney City Region Beachwatch and Harbourwatch –– March 2012 Middle Harbour Parramatta River and Port Jackson Ocean Beaches 10000 Lane Cove River safe for swimming individual sample 1000 100 10 EnterococciDensity (cfu/100 mL) 1 Bondi Bronte Clovelly Coogee Malabar LittleBay Maroubra Tamarama Parsley Bay Nielsen Nielsen Park Redleaf Pool Clontarf Pool Watsons Bay Woodford Woodford Bay Chiswick Baths Balmoral Baths Cabarita Beach Cabarita Clifton Gardens Edwards Beach Woolwich Baths Woolwich Hayes St Beach Tambourine Bay Rose BayRose Beach GurneyCr Baths Greenwich Baths Dawn Fraser Dawn Fraser Pool NorthbridgeBaths Davidson Davidson Reserve Chinamans Beach Southern Sydney Beaches Water Quality during March 2012 The water quality at Sydney's southern beaches was impacted by rainfall during March, with only three of the 28 beaches suitable for swimming on all sampling occasions. The best performing beaches were: • Ocean beaches: Shelly Beach and Oak Park • Port Hacking: Jibbon Beach. Elevated enterococci levels exceeded the safe swimming limit of 40 cfu/100mL in one or more of the five samples at the following locations: • Ocean beaches: Boat Harbour, Greenhills, Wanda, Elouera, North Cronulla and South Cronulla • Botany Bay: Congwong Bay, Yarra Bay, Frenchmans Bay, Foreshores Beach, Kyeemagh Baths, Brighton Le Sands Baths, Monterey Baths, Ramsgate Baths, Dolls Point Baths, Sandringham Baths and Silver Beach • Lower Georges River: Oatley Bay Baths, Carss Point Baths, Jewfish Bay Baths and Como Baths • Port Hacking: Gunamatta Bay Baths, Lilli Pilli Baths, Gymea Bay Baths and Horderns Beach. Sydney experienced the wettest March since 1984, with 269.8 mm of rain recorded at Observatory Hill, more than double the long term average for the month. Rain fell over 16 days, with the heaviest falls on 1-5 March, 8 March and 17 March. Wet weather bypasses of secondary biological treatment and tertiary filtration were reported at Cronulla Wastewater Treatment Plant on 5, 7-8 and 17 March. Rainfall triggered wet weather sewage overflows into Botany Bay (directly or via the Cooks River, Mill Pond Creek or Woolooware Bay) on 1-3, 5, 7, 10 and 17-18 March. Wet weather sewage overflows to the lower Georges River (directly or via Oatley Bay or Salt Pan Creek) were recorded on 2, 7-8 and 17 March. A wet weather sewage overflow to Port Hacking via Burraneer Bay was recorded on 8 March. On 9 March, a dry weather sewage overflow at the corner of Acacia Street and Waterfall Way at Oatley entered Lime Kiln Bay, resulting in elevated enterococi levels within the bay. Clean up operations are continuing and Jew Fish Bay Baths will remain closed until these are complete. Beachwatch recommends that swimming be avoided for one day after heavy rainfall at ocean beaches and for up to three days after rainfall at harbour beaches. Before heading to the beach, particularly after it has been raining, check pollution levels by phoning the Beachwatch telephone information line on Freecall 1800 036 677, check the Beachwatch website at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/beach or follow us on Twitter @BeachwatchNSW. When at the beach, look for signs of stormwater pollution such as discoloured water, or litter in the water or on the tide line before entering the water. Enterococci. Sydney Southern Region Beachwatch and Harbourwatch –– March 2012 Botany Bay and Georges River Bate Bay Port Hacking 100000 safe for swimming individual sample 10000 1000 100 EnterococciDensity(cfu/100 mL) 10 1 Wanda Elouera Oak Park Oak YarraBay Greenhills Sth Cronulla Sth Como Baths Como Nth Cronulla Nth Silver Beach Boat Harbour Jibbon Beach Jibbon Lilli Pilli Baths Congwong Bay Congwong MontereyBaths Horderns Beach Horderns Ramsgate Baths Ramsgate Frenchmans Bay Kyeemagh Baths DollsPoint Baths Oatley Bay Baths CarssPoint Baths Gymea Gymea Bay Baths Foreshores Beach Foreshores Jewfish Bay Baths Sandringham Baths Sandringham Gunamatta Bay Baths Brighton Brighton Le Sands Baths Shelly(Sutherland) Beach .