Lake and lagoon swimming sites did not perform as well as beaches

SYDNEY’s beaches are cleaner than ever but swimmers should think twice about taking a dip in coastal lakes, lagoons and even some ocean baths. An extended dry period followed by recent rain has led to high pollution at some waterways.

• Public pools swimming with bacteria
• Best swimming spots in Western Sydney

SYDNEY’s beaches are cleaner than ever but swimmers should think twice about taking a dip in coastal lakes, lagoons and even some ocean baths.

While pollution levels at key ocean swimming spots are low, an extended dry period followed by recent rain has led to high pollution at some waterways.

The latest NSW Office of Environment and Heritage report into the health of the state’s waterways has ranked 85 per cent of monitored swimming sites as “good” or “very good”.

However, “many” estuarine and coastal lake and lagoon swimming sites “did not perform as well as the ocean beaches”, the State Of The Beaches report said.

Sydney’s infamous Malabar Bay has been ranked as “poor”. Picture: John Appleyard

Elevated levels of enterococci after lightrain fall has also led to Terrigal Beach as being ranked as “poor”.

MORE FROM LINDA SILMALIS

ONLINE TROLLS TO COP AVO, THEN JAIL TIME

SHARKS CAUGHT ON DRONE FEASTING ON WHALE

GETUP! MAKES POLLING SCRIPT TO SWAY VOTERS

The dirtiest beach in the state was again Foreshores Reserve ­opposite Sydney Airport.

The report summarised the performance of 241 sites along the NSW coast in 2017-18, providing a long-term assessment of their ­swimming suitability.

Almost all of the 127 ocean beaches lining the state were deemed to be of excellent water quality, except for Sydney’s infamous Malabar Beach and Terrigal Beach on the Central Coast.

Both beaches were ranked as “poor”, reflecting elevated levels of enterococci after light rainfall.

Terrigal Beach suffers when the lagoon behind it — the most polluted on the Central Coast — discharges water after heavy rain.

South ­Maroubra Rockpool passed testing. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Yarra Bay in Botany has seen improvements.

Horderns Beach in Port Hacking is another one of the highest ranked.

“As a general precaution, swimming should be avoided at ocean beaches during and for up to one day after rainfall, or if there are signs of stormwater pollution such as discoloured water, flowing stormwater drains or floating ­debris,” the report said.

As for NSW’s 78 estuarine beaches, 81 per cent were given the green light for swimming — up from 73 per cent the previous year.

Among those that improved to receive the highest ranking ­were Barrenjoey beach in Pittwater, Nielsen Park, Tambourine Bay and Clontarf Pool in Sydney Harbour, Yarra Bay in Botany Bay and ­Horderns Beach in Port Hacking.

Hayes Street Beach has been downgraded from “good” to “poor”. Picture: AAP Image/Damian Shaw

No-go zones after wet weather included Evans River on the North Coast and Mosman’s Hayes Street Beach, with both downgraded from “good” to “poor” due to high bacterial counts after rainfall.

The worst performers were lakes and lagoons with just 14 out of the 31 monitored sites being ranked as very good or good.

Birdwood Park and Bilarong Reserve in Narrabeen Lagoon were among the few sites suitable for swimming. Four swimming sites in Lake Macquarie and nine on the Central Coast were ranked as “poor”.

Minister Gabrielle Upton said a number of swimming sites has seen improvements. Picture: AAP Image/Brendan Esposito

The cleanest ocean bath was the Big Blue Pool on the South Coast, with The Entrance Ocean Baths and Pearl Beach Rockpool on the Central Coast, and South ­Maroubra Rockpool in Sydney also passing the test.

However, Northbridge Baths and Gurney Crescent Baths scored only “fair”.

Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton said several swimming sites had seen significant improvements. “Estuarine swimming sites have never been this clean,” she said.

Originally published as Lake and lagoon swimming sites did not perform as well as beaches