Coalition promises $1.5m to clean up Gymea Bay Baths, in election pledge

The water quality at the Gymea Bay Baths has been declining for years, now the Coalition has promised to give one of the worst swimming spots in Sydney a $1.5m revamp, if elected.

Gymea Bay Baths. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

One of Sydney’s worst swimming spots will get a $1.5m revamp under a Coalition election pledge, with local MP Simon Kennedy also threatening to call in the environmental watchdog if action isn’t taken to improve water quality blighted by sewage and faeces.

Cook MP Mr Kennedy said Gymea Bay Baths – which received a “very poor” rating in the NSW Government’s annual State of the Beaches report last year – would receive $1.44m in federal funding for a complete overhaul if the Coalition wins the election.

It comes after the latest annual report found the baths, along with Foreshores Beach in Botany Bay, was “significantly impacted by faecal contamination during and following rainfall, and occasionally during dry weather”.

It also found water quality at the Gymea Bay Baths had been declining for the last five years, with the site “susceptible to faecal contamination with many potential sources including stormwater, sewer chokes and from elsewhere within Port Hacking”.

Gymea Bay Baths is one of the worst swimming spots in Sydney. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

The rating of “very poor” – which carries the warning that it is “generally recommended to avoid swimming at these sites almost all of the time” – is only given to three Sydney sites in the report, with Yosemite Creek’s Minnehaha Falls in the Blue Mountains featuring alongside Gymea Bay Baths and Foreshores Beach.

Mr Kennedy said while the funding blitz would cover an overhaul of the baths, he would also lobby Sydney Water to rapidly address water quality in the area.

The Cook MP, who took over from former Prime Minister Scott Morrison as the member for the electorate in April last year, warned he’d consider calling on the environmental watchdog if there wasn’t improvements.

“Sydney Water is claiming it wants to make more of Sydney swimmable and open-up new swim sites, but we are yet to see any action in Gymea Bay,” Mr Kennedy said.

“Its water quality was rated the worst in Sydney this year.

“Sydney Water needs to address swimming sites that are ruined. Gymea Bay has the worst water quality rating in Sydney. It once used to be pristine, now it is regularly closed due to poor water quality issues and rubbish.

Cook MP Simon Kennedy unveiling an election promise to spend more than $1m fixing up Sydney's "worst swimming spot" at 38 Ellesmere Rd, Baths at Gymea Bay Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

“It is simply not good enough.

“With five consecutive years of a ‘very poor’ water quality rating, they need to up their game. Otherwise, I’ll be calling on the NSW Environment Protection Agency to take action.”

A spokeswoman for Sydney Water said the organisation operates emergency relief structures, which discharge diluted wastewater during periods of heavy rainfall, in Gymea Bay.

“The wastewater system operates this way so excess wastewater flows into the waterways, ensuring protection and mitigating damage to homes and businesses from internal surcharges,” she said.

Sydney Water also had a proposed wet weather overflow program for Gymea which would minimise the amount of stormwater entering the wastewater system, with those works pending Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal approval.

“Managing stormwater in the Port Hacking catchment is not Sydney Water’s responsibility,” she said.

“Sydney Water remains committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to improve the water quality at Gymea Bay Baths and ensure the health and safety of the community.”

Originally published as Coalition promises $1.5m to clean up Gymea Bay Baths, in election pledge