Poor quality swimming water at our beaches can cause illness such as gastroenteritis. Knowledge of pollution levels means people can make informed choices about where and when to swim, and avoid swim sites with poor water quality.
The challenge
Poor water quality grades given to Rose Bay Beach in the annual NSW State of the Beaches report have raised concerns across the community.
The detection of pathogens, such as enterococci bacteria, implied the water was contaminated by fecal waste. This suggested it wasn’t safe for people to swim or participate in outdoor water activities in the bay.
Local and state government agencies, beach goers, recreational swimmers, and the broader community have worked hard to improve water quality.
Beach and water managers undertook regular water quality monitoring but weren’t able to pinpoint the source/s of the pollution. This made it difficult for the local council to respond to the water quality issue and ensure management dollars were being spent efficiently.