Recreational Water Quality Report 2018
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Blue Mountains Recreational Water Quality Report 2018 Blue Mountains Recreational Water Quality Report - 2018 Report Compiled by Cecil Ellis ~ Nature Navigation Pty Ltd. a: PO Box 23 Avalon Beach NSW 2107 e: [email protected] w: www.naturenavigation.com.au For technical information about this report contact: Healthy Waterways Team, Blue Mountains City Council 2-6 Civic Place, Katoomba NSW 2780 (02) 4780 5000 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/ Non site specific elements of this report have been adapted from State of the Beaches 2014–2015 - Summary and How to Read this Report accessed from http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/beach/ar1415/FB1-summary-how-to-read.pdf [accessed 15/12/16] 2 Blue Mountains Recreational Water Quality Report - 2018 Recreational Water Quality Monitoring in the Blue Mountains Recreational water quality is monitored by Blue Mountains City Council’s Healthy Waterways team, using the NSW Government’s Beachwatch methodology. The program aims to provide the community with accurate information on the cleanliness of the water and to enable individuals to make informed decisions about the risks associated with water based recreation. Routine assessment also measures the impact of pollution sources, enables the effectiveness of stormwater and wastewater management practices to be assessed and highlights areas where further work is needed. Sampled sites in the Blue Mountains are graded as Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor or Very Poor in accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council’s 2008 Guidelines for Managing Risks in Recreational Waters. These grades provide a long-term assessment of how suitable a location is for swimming and other water based recreational activities. The grades are determined from the most recent water quality results, up to five years’ worth of data, and a risk assessment of potential pollution sources. A guide on to how to read This report is provided on pages 7-9 Rainfall Impacts Rainfall is the major driver of pollution to recreational waters, generating stormwater runoff and heightening the risk of discharges from the wastewater (sewage) treatment and transport systems. Changes in rainfall patterns are reflected in water quality over time due to variation in the frequency and extent of stormwater and wastewater inputs. The Recreational Water Quality Grades for 2016–2017 are based on water quality data collected over the last five years. Rainfall over this period has been diverse, beginning with sustained wet weather conditions and flooding in many areas along the NSW coast, and ending with well-below average rainfall across the state and a lack of significant rainfall events: ¨ 2013–2014: driest summer in almost 30 years. ¨ 2014-2015: third warmest spring on record and a dry summer. ¨ 2015-2016: warmer than average summer with an overall average rainfall. ¨ 2016–2017: hot dry summer with a number of temperature records broken. ¨ 2017–2018: hot dry summer with record lowest summer rainfall at Wentworth Falls rainfall station (Station Number 63227) Health risks Contamination of recreational waters with faecal material from animal and human sources can pose significant health problems to swimmers owing to the presence of pathogens (disease-causing micro-organisms) in the faecal material. The most common groups of pathogens found in recreational swimming waters are bacteria, protozoans and viruses. Exposure to contaminated water can cause gastroenteritis, with symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach-ache, nausea, headache and fever. Eye, ear, skin and upper respiratory tract infections can also be contracted when pathogens come into contact with small breaks and tears in the skin or ruptures of the delicate membranes in the ear or nose. Certain groups of users may be more vulnerable to the threat of microbial infection than others. Children, the elderly, people with compromised immune systems and tourists are generally most at risk. 3 Blue Mountains Recreational Water Quality Report - 2018 Overall Results for 2017–2018 Of the 7 sites monitored, one site, Wentworth Falls Lake Beach site, is graded as good. All other sites are graded as Poor or Very Poor, indicating that they were not suitable for swimming for most or almost all of the time. These sites are susceptible to pollution, particularly after rainfall and occasionally during dry weather conditions. Swimming should be avoided during and for up to three days following rainfall or if there are signs of stormwater pollution such as discoloured water or floating debris. Running Water Sites In general, the running water sites monitored in the Blue Mountains in NSW exhibit poor water quality with all sites graded as Poor or Very Poor. This indicates that they were not suitable for swimming for most or almost all of the time. The impacts of rainfall are significant at running water sites with stormwater pollution and/ or agricultural runoff increasing. Three running water sites are monitored: ¨ Megalong Creek ¨ Yosemite Creek at Minnehaha Falls ¨ Jellybean Pool, Glenbrook Creek As a general precaution, swimming at running water sites should be avoided during and for up to three days after rainfall, or if there are signs of stormwater pollution such as discoloured water or floating debris. Lake/ Lagoon Sites Wentworth Falls Lake - Beach site is graded as good, which is likely, due to improved stormwater management in the catchment. The other lake/lagoon sites monitored in the Blue Mountains in NSW exhibit poor water quality, with all sites graded as Poor. This indicates that they were not suitable for swimming for most or almost all the time. Some improvement in the microbial assessment categories has been observed as Blue Mountains City Council makes improvements to stormwater management. Four lake/ lagoon sites are monitored: ¨ Wentworth Falls Lake - Jetty ¨ Wentworth Falls Lake - Beach ¨ Glenbrook Lagoon – Boat Ramp ¨ Glenbrook Lagoon – Beach As a general precaution, swimming at lake and lagoon sites should be avoided during and for up to three days after rainfall, or if there are signs of stormwater pollution such as discoloured water or floating debris. 4 Blue Mountains Recreational Water Quality Report - 2018 Sampling sites monitored under Blue Mountains Recreational Water Quality Monitoring Program 5 Beach Suitability Grades for all NSW Sanitary Microbial Beach North Coast Inspection Assessment Suitability Site type Category Category Grade Ballina Shire Seven Mile Beach Ocean beach Low Category A VG Council Beach Suitability Grades for all NSW Lake Ainsworth East Lagoon/lake Moderate Category C P Lake Ainsworth South Lagoon/lake ModerateSanitary CategoryMicrobial B BeachG North Coast Lake Ainsworth West Lagoon/lake InspectionModerate AssessmentCategory C SuitabilityP Site type Category Category Grade Shelly Beach Ocean beach Moderate Category B G Ballina Shire Seven Mile Beach Ocean beach Low Category A VG Shaws Bay East Estuarine Moderate Category B G Council Beach Suitability Grades for all NSW Lake Ainsworth East Lagoon/lake Moderate Category C P Shaws Bay West Estuarine Moderate Category C P Lake Ainsworth South Lagoon/lake Moderate Category B G Shaws Bay North Estuarine ModerateSanitary CategoryMicrobial C BeachP Beach Suitability Grades for all NSW North Coast Lake Ainsworth West Lagoon/lake InspectionModerate AssessmentCategory C SuitabilityP The Serpentine EstuarineSite type CategoryModerate CategoryCategory B GradeG Shelly Beach Ocean beach ModerateSanitary CategoryMicrobial B Beach G Lighthouse Beach Ocean beach Low Category B G Ballina Shire Seven Mile Beach Ocean beach InspectionLow AssessmentCategory A SuitabilityVG North Coast Shaws Bay East Beach SuitabilityEstuarine Grades for all NSWModerate Category B G Council Airforce Beach OceanSite beachtype CategoryLow CategoryCategory B Grade G Richmond Lake Ainsworth East Lagoon/lake Moderate Category C P Valley Shaws Bay West Estuarine Moderate Category C P Main Beach Ocean beach Low Category A VG CouncilBallina Shire LakeSeven Ainsworth Mile Beach South Lagoon/lakeOcean beach ModerateLow Category AB VGG Sanitary Microbial Beach Shaws Bay North Estuarine Moderate Category C P Council Shark Bay Ocean beach Low Category A V G North Coast Lake Ainsworth WestEast Lagoon/lake InspectionModerate AssessmentCategory C SuitabilityP The Serpentine EstuarineSite type CategoryModerate CategoryCategory B Grade G Evans River Estuarine Moderate Category B ShellLake yAinsworth Beach South OceanLagoon/lake beach Moderate Category B G Lighthouse Beach Ocean beach Low Category B G KempseyBallina Shire GrassySeven Mile Head Beach Ocean beach Low Category A VGVG ShawsLake Ainsworth Bay East West EstuarineLagoon/lake Moderate Category CB GP RichmondShireCouncil Airforce Beach Ocean beach Low Category B G StuartsLake Ainsworth Point East EstuarineLagoon/lake Moderate Category C P Blue MountainsValleyCouncil RecreationalShawsShelly BeachBay WestWater Quality Report - 2018EstuarineOcean beach Moderate Category CB PG Main Beach Ocean beach Low Category A VG Council BackLake AinsworthCreek South EstuarineLagoon/lake Moderate Category DB PG Shaws Bay NorthEast Estuarine Moderate Category CB PG Shark Bay Ocean beach Low Category A V G HorseshoeLake Ainsworth Bay West OceanLagoon/lake beach ModerateLow Category CB GP TheShaws Serpentine Bay West Estuarine Moderate Category CB GP Evans River Estuarine Moderate Category B G Site SuitabilityTrialShell Bayy Beach Grades for BlueOcean Mountains beach Moderate Low Category B G LighthouseShaws