Yarra River's bacteria reaches dangerous levels

THE Yarra is posing a health risk with unsafe levels of bacteria funnelling throughout the city. Map: Worst E coli readings

THE Yarra River is laden with bacteria, posing a risk to the health of the millions of people who live around Melbourne's most famous waterway.

Sections of the Yarra have recorded worrying levels of E coli that make it unsafe for swimming.

And it is a problem that millions of dollars and years of work have so far failed to fix.

Now experts are calling for a long-term solution.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said a peak body should oversee the waterway and promote action among the community to clean up the river.

"There are something like 16 different bits of legislation that govern the river and the port. And that might be a starting place: to determine, once and for all, who it is that's actually responsible for the Yarra," Cr Doyle said.

Yarra River

Environment Protection Authority freshwater scientist Dr Leon Metzeling said E coli levels had improved since 2005, but existing plans were insufficient to rid the river of the high levels of bacteria.

"I'd say things are just the status quo. There may have been some short-term ups and down," Dr Metzeling said.

"I am sure we can make it better but it is a lot of work. It is a big challenge.

"We can start with the litter. When people dump stuff it runs down the drains. We know what we have to do, but it is expensive."

Abbotsford and South Yarra have the dirtiest records: E coli was 17 times higher than than what is regarded as a healthy rate for kayakers and rowers, and in April was 85 times the acceptable level for swimmers, which is fewer than 200 organisms per 100ml.

In the popular tourist area between the CBD and Docklands, the level of bacteria was twice recorded at 25 times over the safe limit for swimming and 13 times above the limit for rowers.

School friends Ben Arnold and Jed Kelly, 16, visit their favourite swimming spot in Warrandyte at least three times each week.

"It is a little bit gross," Ben told the Herald Sun after taking a dip this week.

"I have been told that by my mum all my life, but I never really paid attention.

"I probably swim in it three times a week, but when there is a big rain we don't go swimming."

Jed said the idea of swimming in the E coli-infested water did not really bother him but he would like to see more done to keep his childhood playground clean.

Environment Minister Ryan Smith said litter was a major cause of the river's poor water quality.

"All Melburnians have a role to play in helping improve the quality of the Yarra - whether by disposing of our litter more thoughtfully, reducing industrial waste, investing in improved stormwater treatment, and through better land use management," Mr Smith said.

"The Yarra River is an icon for all Melburnians and, while its water quality has improved significantly over the past four decades, the Victorian Coalition Government ... is committed to further improving the quality and amenity of the river."

E coli levels in the Yarra River are tested weekly at 12 sites.

A mean average of the previous five samples is used to issue the weekly water quality ratings.