Beachwatch and Harbourwatch State of the Beaches 2008-09: summary

About this report

This report describes the results of Beachwatch and Harbourwatch water quality monitoring and reporting activities at Sydney Metropolitan, Hunter and Illawarra ocean beaches and Sydney estuarine beaches for the period 1 May 2008 to 30 April 2009.

Discussion in this report focuses on the 2008-2009 summer swimming season, which covers the period from 1 October 2008 to 30 April 2009.

About Beachwatch and Harbourwatch

The Beachwatch program was established in 1989 and Harbourwatch in 1994. Both programs involve routine monitoring and reporting of bacterial indicator levels to determine water quality at swimming locations in the Sydney region. The State Government extended Beachwatch to the Hunter and Illawarra regions in 1996.

Measuring recreational water quality

Indicator micro-organisms

Beachwatch uses two types of indicator bacteria, faecal coliforms (also known as thermotolerant coliforms) and enterococci, to measure recreational water quality, as recommended by the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC 1990) and the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC 1992). These guidelines also refer to other physical and chemical parameters for the assessment of recreational water quality, such as pH, clarity and temperature. Beachwatch focuses on the use of faecal coliforms and enterococci, as these indicate the possible presence of waterborne pathogens that pose the most significant risks to human health. Results presented in this report are described in terms of faecal coliform and enterococci compliance with Beachwatch water quality criteria (Chapter 1).

This report includes an appendix describing the use of indicator micro-organisms in establishing the suitability of a waterbody for recreational use (Appendix 1). Details of recent developments in this area and discussion of the new NHMRC (2008) Guidelines for Managing Risks in Recreational Waters and World Health Organisation documentation are also included in Chapter 1, Chapter 7 and Appendix 1.

The use of faecal coliforms and enterococci

Faecal coliforms are now referred to as thermotolerant coliforms, as some genera within the group are not of faecal origin. However, to be consistent with previous Beachwatch reports the terminology 'faecal coliforms' is still used in this report.

Although faecal coliforms have been the traditional organisms measured to indicate the presence of faecal contamination in water used for recreation, the use of enterococci as an additional indicator of faecal contamination in marine waters is growing in favour. Faecal coliforms are generally more abundant in sewage and easier to detect in bathing waters than are enterococci, but enterococci generally survive longer in bathing waters and may be detected after most faecal coliforms have died off (Chapter 1).

Results for 2008-2009

Of the 131 swimming locations monitored in the Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra regions, 103 complied with Beachwatch guidelines 100% of the time during summer 2008-2009. This result is the second highest recorded in the 19-year history of the Beachwatch Program, just behind summer 2005-2006 when 107 sites complied 100% of the time and equal to the results from summer 2006-2007.

Significant improvements in compliance were recorded in summer 2008-2009 compared with the previous year, when extreme wet weather conditions resulted in only 61 sites complying 100%. The higher levels of compliance can be attributed to a return to average rainfall, as well as long-term improvements in the management of stormwater and wastewater.

Improved compliance was recorded at 69 swimming sites throughout the program, with the majority of swimming sites located in Sydney Harbour, lower Georges River, Botany Bay and Port Hacking recording higher levels of compliance than in the previous summer season. Ocean beaches in the Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra regions also recorded good results, with most compliance levels either improving or showing little change.

Decreases in compliance for one or both indicators were recorded at 13 swimming sites throughout the program. Compliance fell at five ocean beaches in the Sydney region, two ocean beaches in the Illawarra region, one swimming site in both Pittwater and Botany Bay, and two swimming sites in both lower Georges River and Sydney Harbour.

Sydney metropolitan ocean beaches

The results for 2008-2009 are the equal best ever recorded, with 29 beaches complying 100% with both indicators. Twenty-nine beaches also complied 100% in summer 2004-2005 and summer 2005-2006. The results are a significant improvement from summer 2007-2008 when heavy rainfall resulted in only 23 sites complying 100% of the time.

Sydney's cleanest beaches were Palm, Whale, Avalon, Bilgola, 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) in Sydney's north; the city beaches of Tamarama, Clovelly and Maroubra; and the southern beaches of Greenhills, Wanda, Elouera, North Cronulla, South Cronulla, Shelly (Sutherland) and Oak Park.

Excellent results were also recorded at Bondi, Bronte, Coogee, Little Bay and Boat Harbour beaches, which complied at least 90% of the time for both bacterial indicators.

The only beach with compliance of less than 80% was Malabar Beach with 75% for faecal coliforms and 56% for enterococci.

Details - Chapter 3: Sydney Metropolitan Beaches

Hunter region ocean beaches

The good news from previous summer seasons continued for the Hunter region beaches during summer 2008-2009. Once again they were among the cleanest group of beaches monitored under the Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra Beachwatch Program.

All 17 Hunter beaches (Zenith, Box, Fingal, One Mile, South Stockton, Nobbys, Newcastle, Bar, Merewether, Glenrock Lagoon, Dudley, Redhead, Blacksmiths, Swansea Heads Little, Caves Beach and Burwood North and Burwood South) complied 100% with Beachwatch swimming water quality guidelines for both bacterial indicators.

Details - Chapter 3: Hunter Region Beaches

Illawarra region ocean beaches

The Illawarra region had excellent results, with 16 of the 18 beaches monitored for both faecal coliforms and enterococci recording 100% compliance with Beachwatch criteria for both indicators during the 2008-2009 summer season. Illawarra's cleanest beaches were Austinmer, Thirroul, Bulli, Woonona, Bellambi, Corrimal, Wollongong City, Coniston, Fishermans, Port Kembla, Warilla, Shellharbour, Boyd's Jones, Bombo, Surf Beach (Kiama) and Werri.

North Wollongong beach performed very well, achieving more than 90% compliance for each indicator. Entrance Lagoon Beach recorded 100% compliance with faecal coliform guidelines and 52% compliance with enterococci guidelines.

This result is an improvement on the previous summer season when only 13 beaches complied 100% of the time for both bacterial indicators.

Details - Chapter 3: Illawarra Region Beaches

Sydney metropolitan harbour and bay swimming sites

Forty-one of the 59 harbour swimming sites complied 100% with Beachwatch criteria for faecal coliforms and enterococci during the 2008-2009 summer season. This is among the highest level of compliance ever recorded at the harbour beaches and a vast improvement on the previous season when heavy rainfall resulted in only 10 harbour swimming sites complying 100%.

Harbour swimming sites that complied 100% of the time with both bacterial indicators during summer 2008-2009 were:

• Pittwater - Barrenjoey Beach, Paradise Beach Baths, Clareville Beach, Salt Pan Cove Baths, Winji Jimmi Bay, North Scotland Island, South Scotland Island, Elvina Bay, The Basin and Great Mackerel Beach.
• Sydney Harbour - Little Sirius Cove, Clifton Gardens, Rose Bay Beach, Nielsen Park, Parsley Bay, Watsons Bay, Forty Baskets Pool, Fairlight Beach, Manly Cove, Little Manly Cove, Gurney Crescent Baths, Northbridge Baths, Clontarf Pool, Chinamans Beach, Edwards Beach, Balmoral Baths, Tambourine Bay, Woodford Bay, Woolwich Baths, Cabarita Beach, Henley Baths, Chiswick Baths, Dawn Fraser Pool and Greenwich Baths.
• Lower Georges River - Dolls Point Baths.
• Botany Bay - Monterey Baths, Congwong Bay and Silver Beach.
• Port Hacking - Gunnamatta Bay Baths, Lilli Pilli Baths and Jibbon Beach.

Excellent results were also recorded at Davidson Reserve and Sangrado Baths in Middle Harbour, Sandringham Baths in lower Georges River, Ramsgate Baths, Brighton Le Sands Baths and Kyeemagh Baths in Botany Bay, and Gymea Bay Baths and Horderns Beach in Port Hacking, which all complied more than 90% of the time.

Details - Chapter 4: Sydney metropolitan area harbour swimming sites

Actions to improve beach and harbour water quality

Stormwater

Funding for sustainability projects is provided under the NSW Government's Environmental Trust $80 million Urban Sustainability Program. Grant funding is targeted at local councils working with the community and business to protect and improve the urban environment. Some funded projects have specifically addressed urban water management issues, including stormwater management, reducing urban runoff and improving water quality.

In 2008, $30 million in grant funding was made available through the Urban Sustainability Major Projects and Urban Waterways Initiative for up to three years. The priority catchment areas for the Urban Waterways funding stream are the Cooks River, Georges River, Hawkesbury Nepean River, Central Coast/Lower Hunter catchments and Sydney Harbour.

From 2006 to 2008 the Environmental Trust provided over $19.8 million for 26 projects to improve the condition of degraded urban waterways through rehabilitation and restoration activities. The projects implemented include initiatives such as stormwater reuse schemes, implementation of water-sensitive urban design, and activities to restore streams and creeks in various local government areas, improving local water quality and overall catchment health. These projects have also included the implementation of education and engagement programs to maintain the health of urban catchments.

In addition, the NSW Government has developed a state-wide Diffuse Source Water Pollution (DSWP) Strategy to reduce diffuse source pollution inputs into all NSW surface and ground waters. Diffuse source water pollution is the contamination of water bodies by pollutants (such as pathogens, chemicals and salinity) from urban and rural land-use activities in the catchment. The DSWP Strategy will contribute towards the NSW water quality objectives and state-wide natural resource management targets listed in the State Plan. The DSWP Strategy will bring together Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs), relevant NSW government agencies and local councils to jointly manage and address these issues.

Sydney Water manages 5% of Sydney's stormwater network, mainly the lower reaches of catchments where the stormwater channels are large and cross a number of council boundaries. This includes 65 stormwater quality improvement devices such as litter booms, sediment traps, gross pollutant traps and a wetland.

The improvement devices target litter and sediment hotspots and remove these pollutants from nearly 46% of the stormwater runoff in Sydney Water's infrastructure. In 2007-2008, 2,465 cubic metres of litter and 11,000 tonnes of silt were removed.

Previous funding for stormwater projects was provided under the NSW Government's Urban Stormwater Program. Between 1997 and 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 opportunity to develop new ways of addressing poor stormwater quality and ameliorating its impact on receiving waters.

The major outcomes of the Urban Stormwater Program included stormwater project grants to councils totalling $67 million, additional contributions of $40 million by councils, stormwater harvesting projects, and the construction of almost 100 artificial wetlands. One important project was an independent evaluation of the $7 million Urban Stormwater Education Program that showed that one person in five has changed their behaviour to reduce stormwater pollution as a result of the program.

The Urban Stormwater Program has proven to be a successful, integrated, state-wide program that has made a difference to stormwater quality. It has raised the community's knowledge of stormwater pollution, shown people how to make a difference, improved attitudes and changed the behaviour of people in NSW.

Actions to reduce sewage overflows

Sydney Water is required by DECCW Environment Protection Licence conditions to manage sewerage treatment systems efficiently, to protect and minimise harm to the environment and public health. The licences aim to minimise the frequency and volume of overflows and sewage treatment plant bypasses by identifying limits and targets for sewage overflows as well as measures to require further overflow abatement. 

Northside Storage Tunnel

The Northside Storage Tunnel was constructed to capture wet weather overflows from the four major overflow sites at Lane Cove, Quakers Hat Bay, Tunks Park and Scotts Creek. The Tunnel was designed to reduce the number of overflows at the four major wet weather overflow points from more than 150 to less than 20 in an average 10-year period. Since coming on-line the Tunnel has prevented more than 37 billion litres of diluted sewage from entering Sydney Harbour (Sydney Water 2009a).

SewerFix

SewerFix is Sydney Water's 20-year program for maintaining and improving the sewer system. Key works include:

• In consultation with DECCW, Sydney Water is targeting overflows that occur in the vicinity of beaches and other sensitive locations. Where poor performance is identified, works will be conducted to reduce the overflows and improve beach water quality.
• Sydney Water's wet weather overflow abatement program includes amplification, storage and sewer lining. Works completed (Hotspots 1) will benefit Darling Harbour on Port Jackson, Oatley Bay Baths and Jew Fish Bay Baths on the Georges River, and Gunnamatta Bay Baths, Shelly Beach and Oak Park on Port Hacking. Other works (Hotspots 2) will benefit Hayes St Beach on Port Jackson and the Sydney ocean beaches of Queenscliff and North Curl Curl.
• Sydney Water's dry weather overflow abatement program addresses discharges due to sewer blockage and leakage.  A large proportion of the $20 million spent in 2008-2009 addressed discharges to waterways. The work to reduce discharges due to blockage targeted small-diameter sewer mains that carry high flows. These sewers have been found to cause the majority of the dry weather overflows to waterways.  The work to reduce leakage monitored stormwater catchment outlets for indicator organisms and when levels exceeded a threshold a detailed investigation was done across the catchment to find and fix the source of faecal contamination. Further funding has been allocated for 2009-2010 to ensure that discharge targets for waterways are met.
• Sydney Water is working on its Avoid Fail program which aims to rehabilitate the aging sewerage system, particularly in the Sydney region. The program focuses on priority areas, assesses the structural integrity and makes repairs where necessary. Sewers in Botany, Coogee and the Berkeley area of the Illawarra have had repairs. Repairs are planned for completion by 2010 on sewers in Warriewood, Manly, Bondi and Padstow and at Warrawong in the Illawarra.

Upgrades have been completed to 250 sewage pumping stations to minimise the risk of dry weather sewage overflows. Telemetry systems have been upgraded at all of the 664 operating stations to provide warnings of failure. The upgraded telemetry system improves response times and reduces the likelihood and severity of overflows to the environment.

Actions to upgrade Sydney's cliff-face sewage outfalls

The State Government's upgrade of the Cronulla Sewage Treatment Plant was commissioned in April 2001. The upgrade involved the addition of secondary biological treatment, tertiary sand filtration, ultraviolet disinfection and chlorination of recycled water. The treatment scheme allows for use of the treated wastewater by local industry, thereby reducing the volume of discharge from the plant and saving potable water. The capacity of the plant was also increased (Sydney Water 2001).

Pipelines were constructed under Port Hacking to connect residents of Bundeena and Maianbar to the Cronulla Sewage Treatment Plant. A total of 1,251 properties in the Bundeena and Maianbar areas are now connected to the sewerage system. An unknown number of properties in the Bundeena and Maianbar area may still rely on on-site systems such as septic tanks.

Upgrades to Sydney's 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 works included new ventilation and scrubbing systems, devices to control wastewater flow, and fitting of pipework. The installation of a wastewater recycling system at the plant enables the reuse of 3 million litres of treated wastewater daily. The program ensures that plant reliability and performance are maintained to meet environmental protection licence conditions set by DECCW and provide a safe working environment.

Many projects are in progress at North Head Sewage Treatment Plant, with a number completed. These include a recycled water plant (RWP) constructed in 2005 which reuses 1.5 million litres of wastewater per day in plant processes, reducing the demand on potable water supplies (a saving of 550 million litres per year). The projects will improve the reliability, operability and maintainability of various plant processes.

Actions to upgrade Hunter region sewage treatment and transport systems

Hunter Water Corporation has prepared detailed studies called Upgrade Management Plans for each of its reticulation systems relating to its Wastewater Treatment Works. The upgrades and actions from these plans are focused on reducing impacts on customers and the environment during wet weather periods and will cater for new growth in each catchment.

Upgrade works being undertaken or planned as part of these Upgrade Management Plans include those in the coastal areas of Lake Macquarie, Newcastle and Port Stephens. Significant work is programmed for the Newcastle System wastewater catchment draining to Burwood Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant, including works to reduce wet weather impacts in Mayfield, Adamstown and New Lambton over the next five years.

An upgrade of Belmont Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) has been completed to cater for population growth on the eastern side of Lake Macquarie.

Work will commence late in 2009 on upgrades of both Burwood Beach and Boulder Bay Wastewater Treatment Plants to improve the reliability of the plants to meet current license requirements and provide capacity for growth. Further investigations are under way to determine the longer term sustainable strategy for both plants.

Actions to upgrade the Illawarra region sewage treatment and transport systems

The Illawarra Wastewater Strategy has been commissioned to deliver water quality improvements at a number of Illawarra beaches, particularly those near the Bellambi, Wollongong and Port Kembla sewage treatment plants.

The Strategy has ended dry weather discharge from the Bellambi and Port Kembla treatment plants and through water recycling reduces total ocean discharge and saves about 7.3 billion litres of fresh water each year.

The Illawarra Wastewater Strategy involved:

• construction of a water recycling plant at Wollongong sewage treatment plant that produces at least 20 million litres of effluent treated by reverse osmosis to a high standard of quality each day. Under a 15-year agreement the recycled water is used at nearby BlueScope Steel.
• building a pipeline to transfer wastewater from the Bellambi and Port Kembla catchments to Wollongong sewage treatment plant for high-level (tertiary and ultraviolet) treatment and disinfection
• working to improve swimming conditions at Wollongong beaches by stepping up to tertiary treatment and significantly upgrading the existing ocean outfall
• converting Bellambi and Port Kembla sewage treatment plants to specialised storm sewage treatment plants (SSTPs) that store and treat wastewater during prolonged wet weather.

The Strategy is now largely commissioned.

Other components of the Illawarra Wastewater Strategy included the amplification of the Shellharbour Sewage Treatment Plant to meet the demands of population growth within the Albion Park and Shellharbour areas up to 2025. Works included the construction of additional grit and primary tanks to allow for increased flows, improvements in sewage treatment processes and modifications to the ocean outfall to improve effluent dispersion. The amplified sewage treatment plant and the ocean outfall works were completed in 2006.

Details - Chapter 2: Preventing beach pollution

Beachwatch quality assurance program

The Beachwatch quality assurance (QA) program is undertaken to ensure that the data collected and presented are accurate and reliable. This includes QA of field sampling, microbiological analysis of beach water samples and reporting to the community. Results indicate that Beachwatch samples are collected according to established protocols, the microbiological data are reliable and Beachwatch information reported to the community is both accurate and timely.

Details - Chapter 5: Quality assurance program

New recreational water quality guidelines

In February 2008 the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) released new Guidelines for Managing Risks in Recreational Waters. The new guidelines are largely based on the World Health Organization guidelines (WHO 2003) and supersede the NHMRC (1990) and ANZECC (1992) guidelines on which the Beachwatch guidelines are based.

Under the new NHMRC guidelines, there are major changes to the way recreational waters are assessed for suitability for swimming. Recreational water quality at swimming sites is no longer reported as percent compliance based on microbial data. Instead, beaches will be given a 'suitability for swimming' grading using a classification matrix based on sanitary inspection and microbial assessment categories. This approach provides information on possible sources of pollution and numerical data on the likely level of faecal pollution.

The new guidelines are not mandatory but are provided as a tool for State and Territory Governments to develop relevant programs. On this basis, Beachwatch has reviewed its monitoring and reporting protocols to commence implementation of the new guidelines from 1 May 2009.

An overview of the new NHMRC guidelines, as well as preliminary beach suitability grades for Beachwatch and Harbourwatch sites, is provided in Chapter 7: New recreational water quality guidelines.

Appendixes

There are three appendixes to this report:

• Appendix 1 describes the use of indicator micro-organisms in establishing the suitability of a body of water for recreational use.
• Appendix 2 presents the detailed results of the microbiological quality assurance program.
• Appendix 3 is intended to point the reader towards other information sources relating to bacterial pollution of waterways used for recreation and human health risks.

A list of references, a glossary and a beach index are also provided at the end of this report.

Details: Appendixes, Glossary and References (09634bwar09appendixes.pdf, 111kb)