Northern beaches’ ocean pools ‘unswimmable’, council orders briefing over cleaning, maintenance

Popular ocean baths on the northern beaches have become dirty, leaky and ‘unswimmable’ according to swimmers, with some even invaded by maggots feeding on rotting seaweed.

A rise in complaints about the dirty and damaged “unswimmable” ocean baths on the northern beaches has prompted the council to call for an urgent briefing about cleaning and maintenance.

Swimmers alerted the council to maggots and sea lice floating in pools as well leaks at the Palm Beach rockpool that leaves the water dangerously low for people jumping into the water.

The council also heard that the Mona Vale Beach pool has “concrete cancer”, North Narrabeen pool may be cracked and that complaints are growing about pools being constantly brown and murky because of rotting seaweed.

A maggot infestation in the Bilgola ocean baths in January 2018. Northern Beaches Council has been told that maggots have recently been seen feeding on rotting seaweed in a number of local ocean rockpools. File picture: Adam Yip / Manly Daily

Between Manly and Palm Beach, the council maintains and cleans 15 rockpools, including the baths at Fairlight Beach in North Harbour.

On its website the council states that it has rosters for cleaning the pools, but they were “subject to change depending on weather, prevailing seas, tidal flows and other surf conditions”.

The Palm Beach ocean baths has at least two leaks, a meeting of Northern Beaches Council was told. Picture: Manly Daily

Greens councillor Miranda Korzy lodged a notice of motion, at last week’s council meeting, calling for council staff to report on the condition and cleanliness of pools in the Pittwater Ward.

Cr Korzy said some pools were murky and full of sand, preventing residents using them in summer, including Avalon pool which is often “brown, smelly and full of rotting weed”.

“We’ve also had murky water, broken pumps and unscheduled closures at Whale Beach, Bilgola, Newport and North Narrabeen.

The North Narrabeen rockpool may be cracked and was having problems with its pump. Picture: Manly Daily

“It is extremely frustrating to go down to a pool in the morning … and the pool’s unswimmable.

“The people of Pittwater have been putting up with this for a number of years.

“It’s important we know that water residents are swimming in is as clean as possible.”

Cr Korzy said Queenscliff pool was “absolutely disgusting.” and there were concerns someone could “literally break their neck” jumping into the Palm Beach pool when water levels were low

Independent councillor Vincent De Luca told the meeting there had been examples of maggots, feeding on rotting in seaweed, as well as sea lice infestations, in a number of pools in recent weeks.

Mona Vale rockpool has “concrete cancer” the council meeting heard. Picture: iStock

“Our pools and our beaches are our jewels in the crown,” he said.

“If we can’t maintain those pools, we’ll be the laughing stock of the state.

Liberal councillor Michael Gencher added an amendment to Cr Korzy’s motion, that councillors be briefed on the state of all the pool in the council area.

Cr Gencher’s amendment, which was successful, included a call for an overall condition report of every rock pools across the council area as well as details of the cleaning and maintenance regime; options for improving condition and cleanliness of rockpools and an examination of the budget allocated for rockpool maintenance.