Northern Sydney Beaches

Water Quality during July 2011

The water quality at Sydney's northern ocean beaches was variable during July, with only 13 of the 21 swimming sites suitable for swimming on all sampling occasions. The sites were:

 Ocean beaches: Palm, Whale, Avalon, Bilgola, Bungan, Mona Vale, Warriewood, Turimetta, North Narrabeen, Dee Why, Freshwater, South Steyne and Shelly (Manly).

Enterococci levels exceeded the safe swimming limit of 40 cfu/100 mL on one of the five sampling occasions during July at Newport Beach (100 cfu/100mL), Collaroy Beach (58 cfu/100mL), Long Reef Beach (88 cfu/100mL), North Curl Curl Beach (1400 cfu/100mL), South Curl Curl Beach (58 cfu/100mL), Queenscliff Beach (1000 cfu/100mL) and North Steyne Beach (59 cfu/100mL). These samples were collected on 21 July following heavy rainfall. Enterococci levels exceeded the safe swimming limit on two occasions at Birdwood Park in Narrabeen Lagoon, with a level of 99 cfu/100mL recorded on 16 July and a level of 1200 cfu/100mL recorded on 21 July.

Rainfall during July was almost three times the long-term average, with a total of 282 mm recorded during the month. It was the wettest July since 1950 and the 7th wettest on record for Sydney. The majority of rain fell towards the end of the month, between 20 and 23 July.

Heavy rainfall triggered a wet weather bypass of secondary biological treatment at Warriewood Sewage Treatment Plant on 20 July and, due to ongoing heavy rainfall, the bypass continued to run for five days.

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 or check the Beachwatch website at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/beach.

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.

Note: Northern Sydney estuarine swimming locations are sampled once each month outside of the swimming season. The enterococci levels in the samples collected during July were below 40 cfu/100 mL at all 14 sampling sites in Pittwater and North Harbour.

Enterococci. Sydney Northern Region Beachwatch and Harbourwatch –– July 2011

Pittwater Northern Beaches North Harbour 10000 safe for swimming individual sample

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Enterococci Density (cfu/100 mL) (cfu/100 Density Enterococci 10

1 Bilgola Avalon Bungan Collaroy Newport Dee Why Turimetta The Basin Long Reef Elvina Bay Elvina Mona Vale Mona Sth Steyne Sth Nth Steyne Freshwater Queenscliff Manly Cove Manly Warriewood Palm Beach Palm Sth Curl Curl Nth Curl Curl Whale Beach Nth Narrabeen Bayview Baths Bayview Fairlight Beach Clareville Beach Little Manly Cove Barrenjoey Beach Narrabeen Lagoon Forty Baskets Pool Baskets Forty Taylors Point Baths Point Taylors Shelly Beach (Manly) North Scotland Island South Scotland Island Paradise Beach Baths Great Mackerel Beach

Central Sydney Beaches

Water Quality during July 2011

The water quality at Sydney's central ocean beaches was variable during July, with four of the eight ocean beaches suitable for swimming on all sampling occasions. The best performing beaches were:

 Ocean beaches: Bondi, Bronte, Coogee and Maroubra.

Enterococci levels exceeded the safe swimming limit of 40 cfu/100 mL on one of the five sampling occasions at Tamarama Beach (200 cfu/100mL on 22 July) and Clovelly Beach (50 cfu/100mL). These samples were collected on 22 July following heavy rainfall. The safe swimming limit was exceeded on two sampling occasions at Malabar Beach (120 cfu/100mL on 16 July and 98 cfu/100mL on 22 July) and Little Bay (45 cfu/100mL on 16 July and 200 cfu/100mL on 22 July).

Heavy rainfall triggered sewage overflows to the Lane Cove River on 21, 22 and 23 July, to Middle Harbour on 21 and 22 July and to Parramatta River on 20, 21 and 22 July.

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.

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.

Note: Central Sydney estuarine swimming locations are sampled once each month outside of the swimming season. The enterococci levels in the samples collected during July were below 40 cfu/100 mL at all sampling sites in Sydney Harbour. These samples were collected on 14 July, during dry weather conditions.

Enterococci. Sydney City Region Beachwatch and Harbourwatch –– July 2011

Middle Harbour Parramatta River and Port Jackson Ocean Beaches

10000 Lane Cove River

safe for swimming

individual sample

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10 Enterococci Density (cfu/100 mL)

1 Bondi Bronte Clovelly Coogee Malabar Little Bay Maroubra Tamarama Parsley Bay Nielsen Park Redleaf Pool Clontarf Pool Clontarf Watsons Bay Woodford Bay Woodford Chiswick Baths Balmoral Baths Balmoral Cabarita Beach Clifton Gardens Clifton Edwards Beach Edwards Woolwich Baths Woolwich Hayes St Beach Hayes Tambourine Bay Gurney Cr Baths Cr Gurney Rose Bay Beach Bay Rose Greenwich Baths Dawn Fraser Pool Northbridge Baths Davidson Reserve Chinamans Beach

Southern Sydney Beaches

Water Quality during July 2011

The water quality at Sydney's southern ocean beaches was variable during July, with only three of the eight ocean beaches suitable for swimming on all sampling occasions. The beaches were:

 Ocean beaches: Boat Harbour, Greenhills and Wanda.

Enterococci levels exceeded the safe swimming limit of 40 cfu/100 mL on one of the five sampling occasions during July at Elouera Beach (45 cfu/100mL), North Cronulla Beach (57 cfu/100mL), South Cronulla Beach (63 cfu/100mL), Shelly Beach (600 cfu/100mL) and Oak Park (1100 cfu/100mL). These samples were collected on 22 July following heavy rainfall.

Heavy rainfall triggered sewage overflows to the Botany Bay on 19 and 21 July, to the Cooks River between 19 and 23 July, to Mill Pond Creek on 19 and 21 July, to the lower Georges River on 21 and 22 July and to Port Hacking on 20, 21 and 22 July. The rainfall also triggered a bypass of secondary biological treatment and tertiary filtration at Cronulla Sewage Treatment Plant on 20 July and, due to ongoing heavy rainfall, the bypass ran for four days.

A dry weather bypass of tertiary filtration occurred at Cronulla Sewage Treatment Plant on 27 July due to the blockage of a major pipe, channel or valve.

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.

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.

Note: Southern Sydney estuarine swimming locations are sampled once each month outside of the swimming season. The enterococci levels in the samples collected on 8 July exceeded the safe swimming limit at two of the 20 sites: Yarra Bay (75 cfu/100mL) and Foreshores Beach (45 cfu/100ml).

Enterococci. Sydney Southern Region Beachwatch and Harbourwatch –– July 2011

Botany Bay and Georges River Bate Bay Port Hacking

100000 safe for swimming individual sample

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1 Wanda Elouera Oak Park Oak Yarra Bay Yarra Greenhills Sth Cronulla Sth Como Baths Nth Cronulla Nth Silver Beach Boat Harbour Boat Jibbon Beach Jibbon Lilli Pilli Baths Pilli Lilli Congwong Bay Monterey Baths Horderns Beach Horderns Ramsgate Baths Ramsgate Frenchmans Bay Frenchmans Kyeemagh Baths Kyeemagh Dolls Point Baths Point Dolls Oatley Bay BathsOatley Bay Carss Point Baths Point Carss Gymea BayBaths Foreshores Beach Foreshores Baths Jewfish Bay Sandringham Baths Sandringham Gunamatta Bay Bay Baths Gunamatta Brighton Le Sands BathsSands Le Brighton Shelly Beach (Sutherland)