Federal Wentworth MP Dr Kerryn Phelps concerned about poor water quality at Rose Bay beach
Federal Wentworth MP Dr Kerryn Phelps has waded into the issue of Rose Bay water quality, confessing that she has particular concerns given she often launches her stand-up paddle board at the spot that is consistently rated as poor.
Federal Wentworth MP Dr Kerryn Phelps has waded into the issue of Rose Bay water quality, confessing that she has particular concerns given she often launches her stand-up paddle board at the spot that is consistently rated as poor.
In a video message filmed at the popular beach, sent to the Wentworth Courier, she says: “It’s very disturbing to me to see that water quality here at Rose Bay beach is consistently rated as poor.
“We need to see urgent action from government in the way we use and manage stormwater runoff in Sydney.”
Dr Phelps won the tightly contested Wentworth by-election last year on a social justice platform, highlighting national and international issues including the treatment of asylum seekers on Nauru and climate change.
With her intervention in the Rose Bay water problem she is bringing her influence closer to home. It’s understood Dr Phelps has written to state member for Vaucluse Gabrielle Upton and Woollahra mayor Peter Cavanagh about Rose Bay water quality.
“The beach is very popular with children and families who swim, fish, kayak and sail here. This is also a very popular dog beach,” Phelps says.
“I’m often here launching my stand-up paddle board,” she says.
She also urges dog owners to pick up after their pets, with Woollahra council providing ample dog litter bag dispensers.
The message also comes after Gladys Berejiklian committed $2.5 million to stormwater pollution at Coogee beach at the weekend, to manage stormwater runoff.
In the 2017-2018 State of the Beaches report, Coogee beach was graded as “good” for water quality, “but may be susceptible to pollution after rain”. Yet in the same report, Rose Bay beach water quality was graded as “poor”.
As Dr Phelps points out: “Rose Bay’s stormwater is particularly susceptible to stormwater pollution, especially after rainfall”.
This is due to limited tidal flushing to push old water out and new water in. It means that swimming can be problematic in a number of conditions including dry weather.
Dr Phelps echoed the findings of the Rose Bay Beach Working Group late last year, which assessed that one of the main reasons for poor water quality at the beach is the level of the weir at the Ian St overflow.
The Rose Bay beach working group were assembled to clean up the beach.
The working group is a collection of representatives from the local council, Sydney Water, the Office of Environment and Heritage and Roads and Maritime Services.
In November last year, Sydney Water announced a $86 mil project which would divert raw sewage currently released in Vaucluse to the Bondi Wastewater Treatment Plan. The project is planned to begin later this year.
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