Paul Bibby
Is it safe to get back in the water at your local beach following the catastrophic floods three weeks ago?
The Echo has explored beach water quality in the Byron, Ballina, Richmond Valley shires and found a very mixed picture.
Some beaches appear to be experiencing quite severe contamination with anecdotal evidence of people falling sick after swimming in local rivers and oceans.
Meanwhile other areas appear to have returned to fair or even good water quality.
Byron Shire
In response to the recent floods, Byron Council recommenced emergency related beach watch water quality sampling.
On March 10 it tested for e.coli – the bacteria that indicates the presence of faecal matter – and for other bacteria that is present in soil and sediment.
The testing was undertaken at Byron’s Main Beach, Torakina Beach in Brunswick Heads and Simpsons Creek, which runs from Brunswick Heads to Tyagarah.
Simpsons Creek recorded 1,234 e.coli coliforms per 100ml – a very high level that is way above the upper limit for safe swimming, which is 88 per 100ml.
Torakina Beach was also significantly above the safe level when testing was undertaken, recording 313 e.coli oliforms per 100ml.
Main Beach was within the safe level when testing was undertaken, recording 20 microbes per 100ml.
When it came to testing for total bacteria coliforms, Torakina Beach and Simpsons Creek once again recorded very high levels, with 2,603 and 2,098 coliforms respectively.
Main Beach was again much lower, with 146 coliforms.
A Council spokesperson said that Simpsons Creek and Torakina Beach both exceeded the recommended levels, not only for primary uses such as swimming, but also ‘secondary’ contact such as boating and fishing.
It should be noted that these levels may have decreased or increased since the time of testing.
Ballina
Ballina Shire Council did not have specific data about coliform levels, but it is part of the Beachwatch testing program which provides star ratings for water quality at beaches across NSW.
The results from the most recent testing of 13 Ballina beaches on March 9 indicate that most fell into the ‘fair’ or ‘good’ category, except for Lake Ainsworth West which was rated as ‘poor’.
Those with a ‘good’ rating included Seven Mile Beach, Shelly Beach, and Lighthuse Beach.
Richmond Valley
Richmond Valley Council is also part of the Beachwatch program, with four areas being tested on March 16.
Airforce Beach and Main Beach both recorded ‘good’ ratings, while two separate sections of the Evans River were designated as ‘fair’.
A Beachwater spokesperson said swimming should be avoided for as long as stormwater and floodwater was present.
‘The most obvious signs of stormwater and floodwater pollution are water discolouration as well as debris in the water and on the tide line,’ the spokesperson said.
‘Swimming in water affected by storm and floodwaters can expose swimmers to a number of dangers, including untreated sewage that carries viruses and bacteria which can lead to illnesses such as gastroenteritis, and ear and skin infections.’
To keep up to date with Beachwatch testing in the Ballina and Richmond Valley areas, go to https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/water/beaches/north-coast-beaches/weekly-star-ratings
ENDS
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