Beachwatch and Harbourwatch State of the Beaches 2000-2001
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Illawarra Region Beaches Austinmer Beach Thirroul Beach Bulli Beach Woonona Beach Bellambi Beach Corrimal Beach WOLLONGONG North Wollongong Beach Wollongong City Beach Coniston Beach Fishermans Beach Port Kembla Beach LAKE ILLAWARRA TASMAN Lake Illawarra Entrance SEA Warilla Beach N Shellharbour Beach SHELLHARBOUR 0 3.5 7 Kilometres Boyds Jones Beach Bombo Beach KIAMA Surf Beach, Kiama Werri Beach 114 The Beachwatch Program Illawarra Region Beaches Summary (Figure 16). This is an improvement from the previous summer season when seven There was a considerable improvement in beaches recorded 100% compliance with beach water quality in the Illawarra during faecal coliform criteria. summer 2000–2001. Woonona, Bellambi and Fishermans Beach Twelve beaches recorded 100% compliance all recorded a 16-percentage point increase with recreational water quality criteria for in faecal coliform compliance compared both indicators, faecal coliforms and with the previous season. enterococci, for the 2000–2001 summer season. This compares favourably with the Although compliance at Bulli and Corrimal results from summer 1999–2000, when eight Beach was less than 100%, compliance was beaches recorded 100% compliance for both still high at 97%. indicators. Enterococcal compliance Five beaches recorded an increase in faecal Eight Wollongong City Council Beaches coliform compliance, with six beaches complied 100% with enterococcal criteria for recording an increase in enterococcal summer 2000–2001. This compares compliance. Only Corrimal Beach recorded favourably with results from the previous a decrease in faecal coliform compliance, summer, when only four beaches recorded but this was only a three-percentage point 100% enterococcal compliance. decrease compared with the previous summer season, and compliance was still Bulli was the only Wollongong City Council high at 97%. beach not to comply 100% with the enterococcal criteria, although compliance Whilst compliance at the entrance to Lake was still high at 97%. Illawarra is lower than the other two monitored Shellharbour City Council The beaches that recorded an increase in beaches, there was a 39% increase in enterococcal compliance were Bulli (7% compliance at this site during summer increase), Woonona (16% increase), 2000–2001. Bellambi (16% increase), Corrimal (10% increase) and Fishermans Beach (13% Illawarra’s cleanest beaches increase). There has been a considerable improvement The Illawarra’s cleanest beaches were in water quality at Fishermans Beach since Woonona, Bellambi, North Wollongong, Beachwatch was extended to include the Wollongong City, Coniston, Fishermans, Illawarra region in 1996–1997. Five years Port Kembla, Warilla, Shellharbour, Boyds ago, Fishermans Beach recorded 72% Jones, Bombo and Werri Beach compliance with faecal coliform criteria and Austinmer, Thirroul and Surf Beach, Kiama 81% compliance with enterococcal criteria. also recorded 100% compliance with In summer 2000–2001, compliance was recreational water quality criteria, but only 100% for both indicators. faecal coliforms are measured at these The Illawarra Wastewater Strategy, part of beaches (see page 18 for explanation). Sydney Water’s long-term strategic plan, Wollongong City Council beaches WaterPlan 21, is addressing local water quality problems in the Illawarra. Faecal coliform compliance Nine Wollongong City Council beaches recorded 100% compliance with NHMRC water quality criteria for faecal coliforms The Beachwatch Program 115 Shellharbour Council beaches scheduled for completion in 2004. Dry weather flows from the Bellambi and Port Faecal coliform compliance Kembla STPs will be diverted to an For the second consecutive season, Warilla upgraded and amplified Wollongong STP, and Shellharbour Beach recorded 100% and wet weather flows will be treated on compliance with NHMRC water quality site. A new one-kilometre ocean outfall will criteria for faecal coliforms for summer be provided at Wollongong STP (Sydney 2000–2001, with the entrance to Lake Water Corporation 2000). Illawarra recording 87% compliance with Other components of the Illawarra faecal coliform criteria (Figure 16). Wastewater Strategy include upgrading the Enterococcal compliance treatment plants at Shellharbour and Bombo, which service local communities. Results for enterococcal compliance were These plants will be upgraded to meet similar to the faecal coliform results for the growth within their catchment areas and to Shellharbour Council beaches. Warilla and improve treatment processes as necessary to Shellharbour Beach recorded 100% maintain marine ecosystem protection and compliance with enterococcal criteria, with beach water quality (Sydney Water the entrance to Lake Illawarra recording Corporation 2000). 68% compliance. Actions to improve beach water quality Whilst compliance at the entrance to Lake undertaken by Wollongong City Council, Illawarra is lower than at the other two Shellharbour City Council and Kiama monitored Shellharbour City Council Council are outlined in the Illawarra council beaches, there was a 39% increase in summary pages of this report (pages 120, compliance at this site during summer 135 and 141, respectively). 2000–2001. Stormwater runoff from urban and industrial areas and runoff from golf courses within the Lake Illawarra catchment may pollute this site. Structural works to achieve permanent tidal flows with the ocean have been completed. This aims to improve water quality at this site and the lake as a whole through the increased tidal flushing. Kiama Council beaches For the third consecutive summer season, the Kiama Council beaches were among the cleanest in the Illawarra region, with all four monitored beaches recording 100% compliance with faecal coliform criteria (Figure 16). Similar results were also recorded for enterococcal compliance. (Enterococcal data are not collected at Surf Beach, Kiama; see page 18 for details.) Plans for improvement Under the Illawarra Wastewater Strategy, a sewage strategy and environmental impact statement have been completed for the northern Illawarra STPs, with work 116 The Beachwatch Program Figure 16: Compliance of Illawarra Beachwatch Sites Summer 2000–2001 Faecal coliforms Enterococci Wollongong City Council Austinmer Beach 100 No Data Thirroul Beach 100 No Data Bulli Beach 97 97 Woonona Beach 100 100 Bellambi Beach 100 100 Corrimal Beach 97 100 North Wollongong Beach 100 100 Wollongong City Beach 100 100 Coniston Beach 100 100 Fishermans Beach 100 100 Port Kembla Beach 100 100 Shellharbour City Council Lake Illawarra 87 68 Warilla Beach 100 100 Shellharbour Beach 100 100 Kiama Municipal Council Boyds Jones Beach 100 100 Bombo Beach 100 100 Surf Beach, Kiama 100 No Data Werri Beach 100 100 0 25 50 75 100 125 25 15050 175 75 100200 % Compliance The Beachwatch Program 117 Wollongong City Council – North Beaches: Austinmer, Thirroul, Bulli, Woonona and Bellambi t fff ( Austinmer Beach THIRROUL ø Lawrence Hargraves Drive f ( Thirroul Beach t t ø LEGEND s Surf Club ( Sampling Site Major Road STORMWATER SYSTEM u Small Drain u Medium Drain BULLI u Large Drain ø Open Drain Creek SEWERAGE SYSTEM t Princes 8 f 9 Undirected Sewage Overflow Highway ( Bulli Beach 8 Designed Structure Sewage Overflow ! Sewage Treatment Plant LANDUSE CLASSIFICATION National Park/Park/Open Space Other Landuse WOONONA f ( Woonona Beach 8 TASMAN SEA 0 0.4 0.8 Kilometres f ( Bellambi Beach Bellambi STP Cliff-face Outfall Bellambi Sewage! Treatment Plant 118 The Beachwatch Program Wollongong City Council – South Beaches: Corrimal, North Wollongong, Wollongong City, Coniston, Fishermans and Port Kembla f ( Corrimal Beach 8 Princes Highway TASMAN MT OUSLEY SEA f( North Wollongong Beach t t tt f ( Wollongong City Beach LEGEND s Surf Club CONISTON ( Coniston Beach ( Sampling Site Major Road STORMWATER SYSTEM Springhill Road ! u Small Drain Wollongong Sewage u Medium Drain Wollongong STP Outfall Treatment Plant u Large Drain ø Open Drain Creek INNER SEWERAGE SYSTEM HARBOUR 9 Undirected Sewage Overflow 8 Designed Structure Sewage Overflow ! Sewage Treatment Plant OUTER HARBOUR LANDUSE CLASSIFICATION National Park/Park/Open Space Other Landuse PORT 0 1 2 KEMBLA Kilometres Port Kembla Sewage ( Fishermans Beach Treatment Plant 8 f Port Kembla STP Outfall (u ! LAKE ILLAWARRA 8 Port Kembla Beach The Beachwatch Program 119 Wollongong City Council Location Rankings could not be determined for Wollongong City Council covers an area of Austinmer or Thirroul beaches, as 714 square kilometres and has a population enterococcal levels were not measured at of 182 000 people. these sites. The Wollongong beaches occupy a 50- The Wollongong beaches are highly ranked, kilometre stretch of coastline from Garie with all beaches except Bulli and Corrimal Beach in the north to the entrance of Lake ranked equal first (Table 12). Bulli Beach Illawarra in the south. Land uses within the and Corrimal Beach were ranked second Wollongong beach catchments include and fifth, respectively. residential, rural, commercial, recreational, industrial and bushland. Council actions to improve quality Eleven beaches are monitored by Sydney Actions specific to individual swimming Water Corporation. Enterococcal levels are locations are included on the beach pages. not monitored at Austinmer Beach or Improvements in water quality will also be Thirroul Beach. (See page 18 for details.) achieved as a result of a stormwater management plan and a Stormwater Trust Compliance with guidelines grant, as well as individual programs. The Wollongong