Northern Sydney Beaches
Water Quality during May 2011
The water quality at Sydney's northern ocean beaches was excellent during May, with all 21 swimming sites suitable for swimming on all sampling occasions. The sites were:
Ocean beaches: Palm, Whale, Avalon, Bilgola, Newport, Bungan, Mona Vale, Warriewood, Turimetta, North Narrabeen, Collaroy, Long Reef, Dee Why, North Curl Curl, South Curl Curl, Freshwater, Queenscliff, North Steyne, South Steyne and Shelly (Manly), and Lagoon: Birdwood Park (Narrabeen Lagoon)
The rainfall during May was 136 mm, which is just above the long term average of 121 mm. The heaviest rainfall was recorded between 30 and 31 May and triggered a wet weather bypass of secondary biological treatment at Warriewood Sewage Treatment Plant.
On 7 May, a dry weather sewage overflow in Goodwin Street at Narrabeen entered Narrabeen Lagoon and resulted in elevated bacterial levels near Wheeler Park.
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 May were below 40 cfu/100 mL at all 14 sampling sites in Pittwater and North Harbour.
Enterococci. Sydney Northern Region Beachwatch and Harbourwatch –– May 2011
Pittwater Northern Beaches North Harbour 10000 safe for swimming individual sample
1000
100
Enterococci Density (cfu/100 mL) 10
1 Bilgola Avalon Bungan Collaroy Newport Dee Why Dee Turimetta The Basin The Long Reef Long Elvina Bay Elvina Mona Vale Sth Steyne Nth Steyne Nth Freshwater Queenscliff Manly Cove Manly Warriewood Palm Beach Palm Sth Curl Curl Curl Sth Nth Curl Curl Whale Beach Nth Narrabeen Bayview Baths Bayview Fairlight Beach Fairlight Clareville Beach Little Manly Cove Barrenjoey Beach Barrenjoey Narrabeen Lagoon Narrabeen Forty Baskets Pool Baskets Forty Taylors Point Point Baths Taylors Shelly Beach (Manly) North Scotland Island Scotland North South Scotland Island Scotland South Paradise Beach Baths Great MackerelBeach
Central Sydney Beaches
Water Quality during May 2011
The water quality at Sydney's central ocean beaches was generally very good during May, with seven of the eight ocean beaches suitable for swimming on all sampling occasions. The best performing beaches were:
Ocean beaches: Bondi, Tamarama, Bronte, Clovelly, Maroubra, Malabar and Little Bay Beach.
Enterococci levels exceeded the safe swimming limit of 40 cfu/100 mL on 17 May at Coogee Beach (206 cfu/100mL).
The rainfall during May was 136 mm, which is just above the long term average of 121 mm. The heaviest rainfall was recorded between 30 and 31 May, and triggered a number of wet weather overflows into the Parramatta River and Middle Harbour.
On 1 May, a dry weather sewage overflow in Bronte Road entered Bronte Beach via the stormwater drain at the northern end of the beach and elevated enterococci levels were recorded in the immediate vicinity of the drain.
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: Central Sydney estuarine swimming locations are sampled once each month outside of the swimming season. The enterococci levels in the samples collected during May were below the 40 cfu/100 mL at all sampling sites in Sydney Harbour except Northbridge Baths (110 cfu/100mL), Chiswick Baths (125 cfu/100mL), Dawn Fraser Pool (61 cfu/100mL) and Parsley Bay (50 cfu/100mL).
Enterococci. Sydney City Region Beachwatch and Harbourwatch –– May 2011
Middle Harbour Parramatta River and Port Jackson Ocean Beaches
10000 Lane Cove River
safe for swimming
individual sample
1000
100
10 Enterococci Density (cfu/100 mL)
1 Bondi Bronte Clovelly Coogee Malabar Little Bay Maroubra Tamarama Parsley Bay Parsley Nielsen Park Redleaf Pool Clontarf Pool Watsons Bay Woodford Bay Chiswick Baths Balmoral Baths Cabarita Beach Clifton Gardens Edwards Beach Edwards Woolwich Baths Hayes St Beach Hayes Tambourine Bay Gurney Baths Cr Rose Bay Beach Bay Rose Greenwich Baths Dawn Fraser Pool Northbridge Baths Davidson Reserve Chinamans Beach Southern Sydney Beaches
Water Quality during May 2011
The water quality at Sydney's southern ocean beaches was very good during May, with all eight ocean beaches suitable for swimming on all sampling occasions. The beaches were:
Ocean beaches: Boat Harbour, Greenhills, Wanda, Elouera, North Cronulla, South Cronulla, Shelly Beach (Sutherland) and Oak Park.
The rainfall during May was 136 mm, which is just above the long term average of 121 mm. The heaviest rainfall was recorded between 30 and 31 May, and triggered a wet weather bypass of tertiary filtration and secondary biological treatment at Cronulla Sewage Treatment Plant. The rainfall also triggered sewage overflows into Botany Bay, Cooks River, Salt Pan Creek, Mill Pond Creek, Oatley Bay, Woolooware Bay and Burraneer Bay.
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: Southern Sydney estuarine swimming locations are sampled once each month outside of the swimming season. The enterococci levels in the samples collected during May were below the 40 cfu/100 mL at all sampling sites in Botany Bay, lower Georges River and Port Hacking, except Frenchmans Bay (49 cfu/100mL), Foreshores Beach (400 cfu/100mL), Carss Point Baths (100 cfu/100mL), Lilli Pilli Baths (45 cfu/100mL) and Gymea Bay Baths (110 cfu/100ml).
Enterococci. Sydney Southern Region Beachwatch and Harbourwatch –– May 2011
Botany Bay and Georges River Bate Bay Port Hacking
100000 safe for swimming individual sample
10000
1000
100 Enterococci Density (cfu/100 mL) 10
1 Wanda Elouera Oak Park Yarra Bay Greenhills Sth Cronulla Como Baths Como Nth Cronulla Silver Beach Boat Harbour Jibbon Beach Lilli Pilli Baths Congwong Bay Monterey Baths Horderns Beach Ramsgate Baths Frenchmans Bay Kyeemagh Baths Dolls Point Baths Oatley Bay Baths Bay Oatley Carss Point Baths Carss Gymea BayGymea Baths Foreshores Beach Jewfish Bay Baths Bay Jewfish Sandringham Baths Gunamatta Bay Baths Gunamatta Brighton Le Sands Baths Shelly Beach (Sutherland)