CLEAN BILL: Shoalhaven City Council’s trainee environmental health officer, Tom Roose, takes a water sample at a Shoalhaven beach.
SHOALHAVEN City Council has been congratulated on its water testing procedures at local beaches and the way it keeps the public informed of its results.
Council monitors the water quality of 10 of the area’s beaches over summer, in accordance with NSW Office of Environment and Heritage Beachwatch protocols.
Those beaches include Shoalhaven Heads, Tilbury Cove, Warrain, Collingwood, Cudmirrah, Mollymook, Rennies, Racecourse, Bawley Point and Merry.
Beachwatch program manager Cris Hickey congratulated council on its commitment to water quality testing and keeping the public informed of the results.
“The South Coast is justly renowned for its spectacular beaches, bays, estuaries and coastal lakes and rivers,” Mrs Hickey said.
“For the most part, these swimming spots are as clean as they are beautiful.
“While most coastal swimming sites generally enjoy excellent water quality, some experience stormwater pollution after rain.
“As a general rule, we encourage people to avoid swimming for a day after rainfall at coastal beaches, and for up to three days in estuarine areas.”
Council staff conducts regular testing for a bacteria known as enterococci, which indicates if water is polluted with stormwater or sewage and whether it may be unsafe for swimming.
The results are then posted on council’s website and can also be viewed as star ratings on the Office of Environment and Heritage Beachwatch website.
For more information visit www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au under the Discover Shoalhaven/Beaches tab.