The Echo was contacted by concerned residents over the ‘brown and frothy’ storm water at the outlet on Clarkes Beach, which drains from the new Sandhills Wetlands site.
Local George Graham, who has been alerting Byron Shire Council (BSC) to the condition of the drain since 2009, said that he has had it tested twice in the past two years.
‘Environmental Analysis Laboratory Lismore have advised on both occasions “High levels of E. coli bacteria” and “water is unsuitable for swimming”,’ he told The Echo.
Mr Graham said that the drain was likely installed illegally during the era when sandmining was taking place at Byron Bay’s foreshore. He believes that the drain should be blocked as part of the Sandhills Wetland project.
Responding to questions over the outlet a spokesperson for BSC told The Echo that, ‘One of the aims of the Sandhills Wetlands project was to improve the quality of storm water flowing from the area to the Clarkes Beach storm water outlet.’
‘In February, Council will start a testing project to gather data on the water quality in the cells in the wetlands. Testing will also be done on the water at the Clarkes Beach stormwater outlet.
Water testing
‘While Council will be able to determine the quality of water leaving the wetlands system, another pipe from the Recreation Grounds area also drains to Clarkes Beach outlet and this could, at times, compromise overall water quality.
‘Staff currently regularly test the quality of water in the ocean at Clarkes Beach, along with other beaches and waterways in the Shire. For more information see: https://www.byron.nsw.gov.au/Environment-Resilience/Environmental-Hazards/Water-Quality-Pollution/Water-quality-of-our-beaches-and-waterways.’
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