The Echo was contacted by a concerned resident after they became aware that they and several other swimmers at Main Beach, Byron Bay had recently had eye and ear infections. They believed these were potentially caused by run off from cleaning around the shower area at the Main Beach car park where they understood some late night drinkers regularly defecate.
However, Byron Shire Council have informed The Echo that the grey water from the showers and general cleaning ‘goes into two drains which do not feed into the ocean’,
Acting General Manager, Mark Arnold, said staff have reported that because there are clean toilets that operate 24-hours a day in Apex Park, and public toilets behind the swimming pool there is not generally a problem with people defecating in the area.
‘There have been thousands of people swimming at Main Beach every day over the last month and there have been no complaints to Council and no notifications to the North Coast Area Health Service about eye and ear infections,’ Mr Arnold said.
‘If someone is genuinely concerned about the cause of the eye and ear infection they should see a doctor for treatment and ask for tests to pinpoint exactly how they may have contracted it,’ he said.
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