Beachwatch Partnership Pilot Program State of the Beaches 2003-2004 Summary
Introduction
In June 2001, Premier Carr announced the New South Wales Government's $11.7-million Coastal Protection Package. This package provides a holistic framework for the management of the coastal zone and includes a range of initiatives designed to ensure that the State's coastal environments are protected for future generations. The Beachwatch Partnership Pilot Program is a key component of this package. It aims to raise awareness of beach water quality issues, streamline testing along the New South Wales coast, and increase community access to beach water quality information.
Pilot beach water quality monitoring and reporting programs were initially run in partnership with 15 councils along the NSW coast between October 2002 and July 2003. This data has previously been reported (Department of Environment and Conservation 2004b).
Seven of the 15 councils elected to extend their programs to the 2003-2004 summer swimming season (October 2003 to April 2004). These councils were Ballina Shire Council, Maclean Shire Council and Pristine Waters Council (now combined in Clarence Valley Shire Council), Bellingen Shire Council, Great Lakes Council, Wyong Shire Council and Shoalhaven City Council.
All councils except Ballina received funding to continue monitoring. Ballina Council entirely funded its own program.
The pilot monitoring programs ranged in size from two to 30 sampling locations, and included ocean beaches, freshwater lakes, tidal pools, bays, rivers, lagoons, harbour sites and estuarine sites.
Water quality analyses and assessment
Two types of indicator bacteria, faecal coliforms and enterococci, were used to assess recreational water quality in the summer 2003-2004 pilot programs, as recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). These bacteria indicate the possible presence of waterborne pathogens, organisms that pose significant risks to human health.
The NHMRC Australian Guidelines for Recreational Use of Water (NHMRC 1990) were used to assess recreational water quality in the Beachwatch Partnership Pilot Program.
Details: Chapter 1 (PDF format, 209 KB)
Overview of findings
Ballina Shire Council
Nine swimming locations were monitored in the Ballina Shire Council area between December 2003 and February 2004, the three busiest months in the summer swimming season. Faecal coliform and enterococci samples were collected from all locations to assess compliance with NHMRC (1990) swimming water quality guidelines. The sites were the ocean beaches of Seven Mile and Shelly, three sites in Lake Ainsworth, one site in The Serpentine and three sites in Shaws Bay.
The cleanest swimming sites in the Ballina Shire Council area were:
the ocean beaches of Seven Mile and Shelley
Lake Ainsworth South (the main swimming area) and Lake Ainsworth East
all three sites in Shaws Bay
The Serpentine.
These eight locations passed the NHMRC (1990) swimming guidelines in December 2003, January and February 2004.
A lower level of compliance with NHMRC (1990) swimming guidelines was measured at Lake Ainsworth West, which complied only in February 2004. The site failed the swimming guidelines in December 2003 and January 2004 due to elevated levels of enterococci.
Details: Chapter 2 - Ballina Shire Council (PDF format, 394 KB)
Maclean and Pristine Waters councils
Maclean and Pristine Waters councils jointly implemented their program. The councils have since been incorporated into the Clarence Valley Council.
Eight swimming locations were monitored in the Maclean Shire Council area: two ocean beaches, two estuarine beaches, a coastal lagoon, two sites on the Clarence River and one rock pool. Samples were collected between November 2003 and April 2004 to assess compliance with the NHMRC (1990) swimming water quality guidelines.
The cleanest beaches in the Maclean Shire Council area were:
These six swimming locations passed the NHMRC (1990) guidelines in all six months of the 2003-2004 summer swimming season in which samples were collected.
A lower level of compliance was recorded at Maclean Jetty on the Clarence River near the town of Maclean. Sufficient samples to calculate compliance were collected in December 2003 and February, March and April 2004. The site passed the swimming guidelines in three of the four months, failing in March 2004 due to elevated levels of enterococci.
Four sites were monitored in the Pristine Waters Shire: three ocean beaches and one estuarine swimming location. Samples were collected between November 2003 and February 2004, the four busiest months of the swimming season. Faecal coliform and enterococci levels were assessed at all locations to determine compliance with NHMRC (1990) swimming water quality guidelines.
The cleanest swimming locations in the Pristine Waters Shire were Minnie Water Main Beach and Wooli Back Beach. These two sites complied with the NHMRC (1990) guidelines in all four months in which samples were collected.
A lower level of compliance was recorded at Corindi Beach and Red Rock Estuary. Both sites failed the swimming guidelines in January and February of the 2003-2004 swimming season due to elevated levels of enterococci.
Previous monitoring has revealed high levels of bacteria in the stormwater outflow to Corindi Beach. It is recommended that swimming in the vicinity of the stormwater drain at Corindi Beach be avoided at all times.
Details: Chapter 2 - Maclean and Pristine Waters Councils (PDF format, 326 KB)
Bellingen Shire Council
Two swimming locations were monitored in the Bellingen Shire Council area between December 2003 and February 2004, the three busiest months in the summer swimming season. These sites were Mylestom Pool on the Bellinger River and Sea Lido in Urunga Lagoon.
Faecal coliform and enterococci samples were collected from both locations during dry and wet weather conditions to assess the impact of rainfall on water quality. Due to the lack of rainfall over the monitoring period, sampling during January focused on assessment of compliance with NHMRC (1990) swimming water quality guidelines.
Samples were also collected from a stormwater drain upstream of Mylestom Pool and two creeks in the Urunga Lagoon catchment. These sites were monitored to as potential sources of pollution to the swimming locations.
Sea Lido was the cleanest swimming site in the Bellingen Shire Council area, passing the NHMRC (1990) guidelines in January 2004.
Mylestom Pool failed the NHMRC (1990) guidelines in January 2004 due to elevated levels of enterococci. Monitoring of the stormwater drain upstream of the swimming site indicated that it was a potential source of bacterial contamination.
Details: Chapter 2 - Bellingen Shire Council (PDF format, 92 KB)
Great Lakes Council
Five swimming locations were monitored in this council area: two ocean beaches (One Mile and Forster Main Beach), two rock pools (Tuncurry Rock Pool and Forster Rock Pool) and a tidal pool in Wallis Lake (Little Street Tidal Baths).
Faecal coliform and enterococci samples were collected from all sites between October 2003 and March 2004 to assess compliance with NHMRC (1990) swimming water quality guidelines. At Little Street Tidal Baths, insufficient samples to assess compliance were collected in October 2003.
All five swimming locations passed the NHMRC (1990) swimming guidelines in all months in which sufficient samples were collected to assess compliance.
Details: Chapter 2 - Great Lakes Council (PDF format, 136 KB)
Wyong Shire Council
Thirty swimming locations were monitored in the Wyong Shire Council area during the 2003-2004 summer swimming season. These sites included 17 ocean beaches, nine coastal lake sites, a tidal pool and three estuarine river sites in the Tuggerah Lakes catchment.
Faecal coliform and enterococci samples were collected from all locations to assess compliance with NHMRC (1990) swimming water quality guidelines.
The cleanest swimming sites in the Wyong Shire Council area were:
the ocean beaches of Frazer, Birdie, Budgewoi, Lakes, Hargraves, Jenny Dixon, Cabbage Tree, Lighthouse, Gravelly, Soldiers, North Entrance, The Entrance, Blue Bay, Toowoon Bay, Shelly, Blue Lagoon and Bateau Bay
These swimming sites passed the NHMRC (1990) guidelines in all seven months of the 2003-2004 swimming season.
A relatively high level of compliance was also recorded at Summerland Point in Lake Macquarie, which complied with the swimming guidelines in six of the seven months of the swimming season.
Sites which failed the NHMRC (1990) swimming guidelines in two or months were Gwandalan in Lake Macquarie, Elizabeth Bay in Lake Munmorah, Toukley Aquatic in Lake Budgewoi, Canton Beach in Tuggerah Lake and Wyong River.
The following sites failed the swimming guidelines in all seven months of the 2003-2004 summer swimming season, and swimming should be avoided at these locations at all times:
Details: Chapter 2 - Wyong Shire Council (PDF format, 713 KB)
Shoalhaven City Council
Nine swimming locations were monitored in the Shoalhaven City Council area between November 2003 and March 2004, the four busiest months in the summer swimming season. The sites were six ocean beaches, two sea pools and a coastal lake. Faecal coliform and enterococci samples were collected from all locations to assess compliance with NHMRC (1990) swimming water quality guidelines.
The cleanest swimming sites in the Shoalhaven were:
These swimming locations passed the swimming guidelines in all five months in which compliance was assessed.
A high level of compliance was also recorded at Barfleur Beach and Ulladulla Sea Pool. These two sites complied with the NHMRC (1990) guidelines in four or the five months, failing the guidelines in January 2004 due to elevated levels of enterococci.
Compliance with swimming guidelines at Lake Tabourie was poor during summer 2003-2004. This site failed the guidelines in all but one month (February 2004), with elevated levels of enterococci measured in November and December 2003 and January and March 2004. Elevated levels of faecal coliforms were also measured in November 2003. High levels of indicator bacteria were measured in Lake Tabourie in dry and wet weather conditions. Shoalhaven Council commenced investigations to locate the source of faecal contamination at the site.
Details: Chapter 2 - Shoalhaven City Council (PDF format, 205 KB)
Response to rainfall
While monitoring during the 2003-2004 swimming season focused on the assessment of guideline compliance, where possible, an assessment of the impact of rainfall on recreational water quality was also made. These trends are discussed on the individual beach pages, and on the council summary pages in Chapter 2, Regional Council Pilot Programs.
Slightly elevated bacterial levels (values above median and geometric mean guideline limits) were measured at most ocean beaches following heavy rainfall. However, these results were not indicative of sewage contamination (indicated by levels of 1000 cfu/100 mL or more).
However, rainfall during summer 2003-2004 was below average, with few large or extended wet weather events in most council areas. A greater response to rainfall may be recorded during periods of higher rainfall. Until more data is collected, it is recommended that swimming at ocean beaches be avoided during and for at least 24 hours after rainfall.
A greater response to rainfall was apparent at estuarine and coastal lake swimming locations. Elevated levels of indicator bacteria were measured during and after rainfall at many sites, indicating varying degrees of sewage contamination. As a precaution, it is recommended that swimming in estuaries and coastal lakes be avoided during and up to three days after rainfall.
Quality assurance
Quality assurance and quality control procedures were incorporated into all aspects of the pilot monitoring programs, including:
The results of these assessments indicate that councils collected samples according to procedures, the microbiological data is reliable, and the information reported to the community during the pilot programs was accurate.
Details: Quality Assurance (PDF format, 97 KB).
Appendixes
There are three appendixes to this report.
Appendix A details the indicators and guidelines used to assess recreational water quality
Appendix B outlines monitoring strategies and priority evaluation methods employed by local councils
Appendix C lists further reading and information sources.
Details: Appendixes (PDF format, 222 KB)
The format and structure of Beachwatch Partnership Pilot Program State of the Beaches 2003-04 may have been adapted for web delivery.
The report was reviewed by the Beachwatch Advisory Committee:
~Bernard Carlon (Chairperson), Department of Environment and Conservation ~ Rex Campbell, Surfrider Foundation ~ Graham Cassidy, Australian Professional Surfers Association ~ Paul Byleveld, NSW Department of Health ~ Phil Colman, Sydney Coastal Councils Group ~ Patricia Harvey, Sydney Coastal Councils Group ~ Colin Huntingdon, Total Catchment Management ~ Colin Lennox, Oz Green (representing the Nature Conservation Council)
For technical information about this report contact:
Beachwatch, Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW)
59-61 Goulburn St, Sydney
PO Box A290, Sydney South NSW 1232
Phone: (02) 9995 5344
Fax: (02) 9995 5913
Email: Beachwatch@epa.nsw.gov.au
Web: www.environment.nsw.gov.au/beach
Beachwatch Partnership Pilot Program State of the Beaches 2003-04
Size: 297 mm x 210 mm (A4)
Length: 121 pp + cover
[Illustrated]
ISBN 1 74137 082 5
DEC 2004/94
Published: October 2004
This publication was printed on recycled paper.
Published by:
Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW)
59-61 Goulburn St
Sydney NSW 2000
PO Box A290
Sydney South NSW 1232
Phone: 131 555 (NSW only - publications and information requests)
(02) 9995 5000 (switchboard)
Fax: 9995 5999
TTY: (02)9211 4723
Email: info@epa.nsw.gov.au
Web: www.environment.nsw.gov.au
The Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) is pleased to allow this material to be reproduced in whole or part, provided the meaning is unchanged and its source, publisher and authorship are acknowledged.
Page last updated: 26 February 2011
