EPA warns against swimming at Melbourne beaches due to dog poo contamination

New tests have revealed Port Phillip seawater is flush with so much dog faeces that swimmers are risking illness. But are councils doing enough to punish people who don’t pick up after their pets?

Pet owners are being urged to bin it, or swim in it, with dog faeces contaminating Port Phillip Bay beaches.

Bay beaches are flush with dog faeces, sparking health concerns for swimmers.

Tests have revealed canine poo is contaminating Port Phillip Bay, causing stomach upsets and skin irritation.

And the state’s environmental watchdog has urged people to clean up after their pets.

EPA chief environmental scientist Dr Andrea Hinwood said dog faeces was among the most common sources of beach water contamination around the bay, according to tests.

“Whatever washes off the streets and into the stormwater drain in a rainstorm will likely end up in the bay, and that includes what some dogs and their owners leave behind,” she said.

“Animal droppings in particular can introduce disease-causing microorganisms like bacteria and viruses into the water, and make some swimmers sick.”

St Kilda, Sandridge, Port Melbourne and Frankston are regularly affected by poor water quality and 36 beaches across the state were rated “unsuitable for swimming” earlier this week following recent storms.

Despite the fact that failing to pick up dog poo carrying a whopping $200 penalty, councils are not fining lawbreakers.

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So far this financial year Bayside Council has fined just one person, while Port Phillip, Glen Eira and Frankston councils have not issued any fines.

Port Phillip Mayor Bernadene Voss said the local law around dog waste was “challenging” to enforce.

“Most complaints are made people who have noticed an increase of dog poo in a particular area, but have not provided any evidence that can be used to establish who failed to clean up after their dogs,” she said.

Glen Eira’s planning and place director Ron Torres said the council preferred to educate dog owners about their responsibilities, rather than fine them.

“Education is our most effective tool in achieving compliance (and) council staff are always looking at ways to better promote this,” he said.

Initiatives include handing out poo bag pouches, installing dispensers in parks.

Frankston Mayor Sandra Mayer said it was “very rare” for council officers to witness people failing to pick up after their pets.