Beachwatch water quality monitoring back in the swim

Eurobodalla residents and visitors can have confidence about water quality at local swimming beaches this season thanks to Eurobodalla Council’s Beachwatch program.

From the start of November to the end of March, Beachwatch monitors water quality at popular swimming beaches and reports the results on Council’s website.

Ten ocean beaches and the netted beach at Wagonga Inlet are sampled and tested for contamination five times each month.

Council’s environmental services manager Deb Lenson said Eurobodalla was one of 10 regional councils along the NSW coast that voluntarily participated in the program.

“Beachwatch provides regular and reliable information on beach water quality to enable people to make informed decisions about where and when to swim,” she said.

Beachwatch results are compiled by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage in an annual State of the Beaches report.

The recently-released 2019-20 recent report showed water quality at nine of the 10 monitored beaches in Eurobodalla were rated ‘good’ or ‘very good’.

“This is an excellent result, considering our prolonged dry weather, bushfires, and a very wet February,” Ms Lenson said.

Council is continuing to investigate why Surf Beach in the Batemans Bay region returned a poor result.

“We will be undertaking additional testing throughout the summer at Denhams Beach, Wimbie Beach and the Surf Beach Creek to try and ascertain the source of contamination at Surf Beach,” Ms Lenson said.

Ms Lenson reminded residents to avoid swimming in local beaches, lakes and rivers for at least a few days after heavy rain and wait until the water looked clean and clear.

“Water quality in these areas is always reduced due to sediment runoff entering our waterways,” she said.

“We’ll also continue to see debris, soil and nutrient loads coming downstream from our bushfire-affected areas for some time to come, as evidenced by the recent heavy rainfall in the upper catchments.”

The Beachwatch monitored beaches are Bengello Beach, Brou Beach, Broulee North, Caseys Beach, Cookies Beach, Malua Bay, Narooma Main Beach, Narooma Shark Net, Shelley Beach, Surf Beach and Tuross Main Beach.