State of the Beaches report finds Coogee is ‘susceptible to faecal pollution’

WATER at Coogee Beach is ‘susceptible to faecal pollution’, the latest State of the Beaches report has found. Malabar and Yarra Bay also had a negative rating.

Amber Delisser and her daughter Eve Delisser, 2, at Coogee beach. The Department of Environment has downgraded the quality of Coogee beach in their annual report of beach quality, to 'poor'. Picture: John Appleyard

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WATER at Coogee Beach is “susceptible to faecal pollution,” the latest State of the Beaches report has found.

Coogee Beach has been downgraded from good to poor in the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage’s report into water quality released last week.

“(Coogee) frequently exceed(ed) the safe swimming limit after 5mm of rainfall or more,” the report read.

Of the 96 NSW sites surveyed, 11 were found to be in poor or very poor condition, including three in Randwick City.

Malabar and Yarra Bay beaches were also given a negative rating.

There was no similar deterioration of water quality at nearby beaches in Clovelly, Bronte and Bondi.

Coogee Beach on a beautiful spring day. But if it rains, it is best to avoid because of the poo. Picture: John Appleyard

Sydney Water said stormwater overflow was the biggest pollutant.

“Water quality this year at Coogee and Malabar Beaches was heavily impacted by severe, frequent rainfall events, including the wettest January for Sydney since 1988,” a spokeswoman said.

Sydney Water has invested more than $1.8 billion to reduce wet weather overflows, committing a further $129 million to improve the affected swimming areas.

“We will continue to work with the Office of Environment and Heritage and the councils to look at ways to improve these waterways,” the spokeswoman said.

Despite being downgraded to poor, Randwick Mayor Noel D’Souza said Coogee, Malabar and Yarra Bay Beaches were among the cleanest in the country.

“It’s not surprising that the State Government’s water sampling program has found higher levels of bacteria ... The general advice is not to swim during or 24 hours after rainfall,” he said.

Peter Hooker and his son Charlie at Coogee Beach. Picture: John Appleyard

Coogee resident Peter Hooker said the classification was “an understatement”.

“In a matter of minutes after a storm the cloud of brown filth engulfs the beach,” he said.

Mr Hooker is part of Coogee Surf Life Saving Club’s inflatable rescue boats crew and said he often had to pluck people out of the water.

“I think there needs to be some gross pollution traps,” he said. “There’s also definitely not adequate signage warning people.”

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