Sydney Metropolitan Beaches
Summary
The results for the 2007-2008 summer season were good, with the majority of beaches complying 100% of the time. Above average rainfall levels were recorded throughout summer 2007-2008, making it Sydney's wettest summer in six years. Despite the heavy rain, continued long-term improvements in the management of stormwater and wastewater have contributed to these good results.
Twenty-three of the 37 swimming sites complied with the faecal coliform and enterococci criteria 100% of the time, a lower number than in summer 2006-2007. Thirty-three of the 37 swimming sites recorded good results, complying more than 80% of the time with the Beachwatch guidelines for both bacterial indicators.
Perfect faecal coliform compliance was recorded at 33 sites. The exceptions were Birdwood Park in Narrabeen Lagoon (97%), Shelly Beach Manly (97%), Coogee Beach (87%) and Malabar Beach (84%). Enterococci compliance of less than 80% was recorded at only four beaches. These were Birdwood Park at Narrabeen Lagoon (71%), Coogee Beach (74%), Malabar Beach (29%) and Boat Harbour (65%).
Improvements in faecal coliform compliance were recorded at five of Sydney's ocean beaches. Shelly Beach (Manly) showed greatest improvement in compliance, with an 11 percentage point increase from the previous summer season. Birdwood Park in Narrabeen Lagoon improved by four percentage points and Palm Beach, Queenscliff Beach and South Steyne Beach all improved by three percentage points. Although Birdwood Park is not an ocean beach it has been included in this section because of its geographical location.
Faecal coliform compliance fell from the previous summer season at two ocean beaches in the Sydney metropolitan area. Compliance at Coogee and Malabar beaches fell by 13 and 16 percentage points respectively.
Improvements in enterococci compliance from the previous summer season were recorded at three beaches. Greatest improvement was shown at Shelly Beach (Manly), an increase of 18 percentage points. Birdwood Park in Narrabeen Lagoon and Bronte Beach improved by five and four percentage points respectively.
Enterococci compliance in the Sydney metropolitan area fell at 11 beaches compared to the previous summer season. These were Malabar Beach (41 percentage points), Queenscliff Beach (19 percentage points), Collaroy and Coogee beaches (16 percentage points), Boat Harbour (15 percentage points), Freshwater Beach (13 percentage points), North Steyne and South Steyne beaches (10 percentage points), North Curl Curl and Little Bay beaches (6 percentage points) and Long Reef Beach (3 percentage points).
Sydney's cleanest beaches
Sydney's cleanest beaches were Palm, Whale, Avalon, Bilgola, Newport, Bungan, Mona Vale, Warriewood, Turimetta, North Narrabeen, Dee Why and South Curl Curl in Sydney's north; the city beaches of Bondi, Tamarama, Clovelly and Maroubra; and the southern beaches of Greenhills, Wanda, Elouera, North Cronulla, South Cronulla, Shelly (Sutherland) and Oak Park.
Long Reef, North Curl Curl, North Steyne, South Steyne, Shelly (Manly) and Little Bay beaches all complied at least 90% of the time for both indicators.
The results for 2007-2008 are slightly below the results from previous years. In 2006-2007, 28 beaches complied 100% of the time for both indicators; in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006, 29 beaches complied 100% of the time for both indicators; and in 2002-2003 and 2003-2004, 22 beaches complied 100% of the time for both indicators.
Northern beaches
Faecal coliform compliance
Nineteen of the 21 swimming sites recorded 100% compliance with Beachwatch water quality criteria for faecal coliforms (Figure 5). Faecal coliform compliance was also high at Birdwood Park in Narrabeen Lagoon and Shelly Beach (Manly) beaches, which both recorded 97% compliance.
Faecal coliform compliance improved at five beaches in comparison with the 2006-2007 summer season. These included Shelly Beach (Manly), improving by 11 percentage points and Birdwood Park in Narrabeen Lagoon improving by 4 percentage points. Palm, Queenscliff and South Steyne beaches all improved by 3 percentage points. No falls in faecal coliform compliance were recorded at the northern beaches in the 2007-2008 summer season.
Enterococci compliance
Twelve of the 21 northern beaches recorded 100% compliance with enterococci criteria for summer 2007-2008 (Figure 5).
Enterococci compliances of less than 100% of the time were recorded at Birdwood Park in Narrabeen Lagoon (71%), Collaroy Beach (84%), Long Reef Beach (97%), North Curl Curl Beach (94%), Freshwater Beach (87%), Queenscliff Beach (81%), North Steyne Beach (90%), South Steyne Beach (90%) and Shelly Beach (Manly) (97%).
Improvements in enterococci compliance were recorded at Birdwood Park in Narrabeen Lagoon and Shelly Beach (Manly), with an increase of 5 and 18 percentage points respectively. Seven northern beaches recorded declines in enterococci compliance in the 2007-2008 summer season. These included Collaroy Beach (16 percentage points), Long Reef Beach (3 percentage points), North Curl Curl Beach (6 percentage points), Freshwater Beach (13 percentage points), Queenscliff Beach (19 percentage points), North Steyne and South Steyne beaches (10 percentage points).
City beaches
Faecal coliform compliance
City beaches recorded excellent results, with six of the eight swimming sites recording 100% compliance with Beachwatch water quality criteria for faecal coliforms during summer 2007-2008 (Figure 5).
Although Coogee (87%) and Malabar (84%) beaches still recorded good compliance for the 2007-2008 summer season, faecal coliform compliance fell from perfect compliance in the previous summer.
Enterococci compliance
Bondi, Tamarama, Clovelly and Maroubra beaches recorded 100% compliance with enterococci criteria during summer 2007-2008. Bronte Beach complied 87% of the time, Coogee Beach complied 74% of the time, Malabar Beach complied 29% and Little Bay complied 94% of the time.
Bronte Beach recorded a four percentage point increase in enterococci compliance from the previous summer. In contrast, enterococci compliance at Coogee, Malabar and Little Bay decreased by sixteen, forty-one and six percentage points respectively from the previous summer.
Southern beaches
Faecal coliform compliance
Results were excellent for the southern beaches, where all of the eight swimming sites recorded 100% compliance with Beachwatch water quality criteria for faecal coliforms for the 2007-2008 summer season (Figure 5).
The continued high level of faecal coliform compliance at the southern beaches is the result of the upgrade of the Cronulla Sewage Treatment Plant. The upgrade, which was completed in late April 2001, included the addition of secondary biological treatment, tertiary sand filtration and ultraviolet disinfection.
Enterococci compliance
Seven of the eight southern Sydney beaches recorded 100% compliance with Beachwatch water quality criteria for enterococci.
Boat Harbour complied with enterococci guidelines 65% of the time, a fall of fifteen percentage points from the previous summer season. The lower level of compliance at Boat Harbour compared with other Sutherland beaches may be the result of elevated enterococci levels measured in discharge from a small creek located at the northern end of the beach. Additionally, the community of Boat Harbour is unsewered, and may be a potential source of pollution.
The results for the summer 2007-2008 season indicate that the Southern beaches are now amongst the cleanest in Sydney, with levels of compliance similar to those on the northern Sydney beaches.
Plans for improvement
Upgrades to North Head, Bondi and Warriewood ocean outfall sewage treatment plants
Works as part of the $95 million Bondi Sewage Treatment Plant Reliability Improvement and Modernisation Program (RIAMP) were completed in January 2007. The program ensures that plant reliability and performance are maintained to meet Environmental Protection Licence conditions set by DECC and provide a safe working environment.
At North Head Sewage Treatment Plant many projects are in progress, and a number have been completed. This includes the construction of a recycled water plant, a biosolids management facility, a cogeneration plant and a new odour management facility. The planning and implementation of the reliability and renewals projects are under way, with construction taking place during 2007 to 2009. The projects will improve the reliability, operability and maintainability of various plant processes.
At Warriewood Sewage Treatment Plant a project is in progress to reduce odour emissions from the plant, and is due to be completed by September 2008.
Sydney Water is developing a portfolio of Renewable Energy Generation Projects throughout its operations, utilising both cogeneration and hydro-electricity generation. Cogeneration plants have been approved for Bondi and Warriewood sewage treatment plants. Similarly, a hydro-electricity generation plant is planned for North Head Sewage Treatment Plant in the near future. Together these plants will reduce Sydney Water's reliance on black power and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its operations.
Sewage overflows - SewerFix
Sydney Water is required by DECC Environment Protection Licence conditions to manage sewerage treatment systems efficiently, in order to protect and minimise harm to the environment and public health. The licence conditions require that the frequency and volume of sewage treatment plant bypasses and sewage overflows be reduced.
Details on SewerFix, Sydney Water's 20-year program for maintaining and improving the sewerage system, are presented in Chapter 2.
Stormwater
In 2008, $30 million in grant funding was made available by the NSW Government's Environmental Trust Urban Sustainability Program, through the Urban Sustainability Major Projects and Urban Waterways Initiative for up to three years. Grant funding is targeted at local councils working with the community and business to protect and improve the urban environment through implementing environmental projects in areas such as stormwater, urban runoff and water quality.
The NSW Government's Urban Stormwater Program was established in 1997 and concluded in 2006. A total of $82 million in seed funding was provided to address stormwater quality hotspots and to give the stormwater industry and stormwater managers an opportunity to develop new ways of addressing poor stormwater quality and ameliorating its impact on receiving waters.
The major outcomes of the NSW Government's Urban Sustainability Program, Diffuse Source Water Pollution Strategy and Urban Stormwater Program, together with details of Sydney Water's investment in the Stormwater Environmental Improvement Program are presented in Chapter 2.
Figure 5: Compliance of Sydney Metropolitan Beaches during summer 2007-2008
Page last updated: 26 February 2011
