Sutherland Council to reject state government’s ‘cost-shifting’ of monitoring water quality
A coastal Sydney council has hit back against a state government move to “shift the cost” and responsibility of monitoring the water quality of popular swimming spots.
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A coastal Sydney council has hit back against a state government move to shift the cost and responsibility of monitoring the water quality of popular swimming spots.
The state government has notified Sydney councils, including Sutherland Shire, that from July they will be required to self-fund water quality monitoring of beaches and rivers.
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water manages the Beachwatch Monitoring Program which assesses water quality at swimming sites across the state including 15 locations in the shire.
The program has no cost to local government and now the government wants to change that to a fee-for-service arrangement.
A council report recommends the council should write to minister Penny Sharpe stating its firm position the program should remain a fully-funded responsibility of the NSW Government without financial contribution from the council, and its opposition to the proposed cost shifting.
The beaches monitored include Boat Harbour, Greenhills, Wanda, Elouera, North and South Cronulla, Shelly and Oak Park; along with estuarine sites at Jibbon, Horderns and Silver beaches and baths at Lilli Pilli, Gymea Bay, Como and Gunnamatta Bay.
A council report notes it would cost the council from $15,162 annually, not including staff wages, for in-house testing to approximately $60,000 for the current full Beachwatch service.
“The department has recently written to the council informing of its move to a universal partnership model where NSW councils participate in the program as partners and fund their own water quality monitoring,” the report said.
A department spokeswoman said the previous NSW Government made a decision to implement a universal Beachwatch Partnership Program in 2022.
“This would allow an equitable partnership model with local councils across NSW, rather than the existing model where regional and inland councils pay while Sydney coastal councils did not,” she said.
“Under this model, council’s may opt into the Beachwatch Partnership Program and select the number of swim sites they wish to promote and frequency of monitoring.
“So far, 11 out of 14 Sydney councils have expressed interest in participating in the program under the new structure, pending budget approval.”
The Sutherland council report said councils were not consulted on the proposed change to the program and “given no warning prior to receiving letters in December 2023” but the spokeswoman said consultation was ongoing.
After July 1, Beachwatch will no longer fund the water quality sampling for any Sydney council and councils will need to sign on as a partner if they want to continue in the program.
The report states that would involve either supporting its own water quality sampling and testing or using fee-for-service option available through the department.
It also noted the state government had not sought legal advice on the shifting of responsibility onto councils who do not opt into the fee-for-service model.
It is understood legal advice was sought and by virtue of the Local Government Act, councils have primary responsibility to provide services that manage the quantity quality and/or reuse of stormwater that flows off land in their local government area and ensure it does not impact adjoining councils.
The council report said there was no explicit legislation requiring water quality testing to be undertaken by local government nor did councils have a legal responsibility over waterbodies.
It also noted Sydney Water’s discharge was a primary source of pollution in coastal areas and the new model would shift the financial burden and monitoring responsibilities from the state government to local council.
“The situation in Sydney differs from non-metropolitan coastal areas where councils act as sewerage service providers and have responsibility for providing clean and safe waterways,” the report said.
“It is therefore not appropriate to justify the Beachwatch program becoming an equitable model across councils in NSW when Sydney councils do not have a responsibility for the sewage and sewerage infrastructure that is the primary cause of poor water quality ratings.”
Sutherland Shire Council is part of the Sydney Coastal Council’s Group which was resisting the “cost shifting” proposed.
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Originally published as Sutherland Council to reject state government’s ‘cost-shifting’ of monitoring water quality
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