Beaches and waterways across the State are registering their cleanest results on record, according to the National Parks and Wildlife Service’s (NPWS) latest annual State of the Beaches report.
Minister for the Environment, Matt Kean said 89 per cent of the 228 swimming sites monitored across the State were graded as ‘Very Good’ or ‘Good’ in the latest NPWS report.
“We haven’t had beaches this clean since the Beachwatch program started in 1989,” Mr Kean said.
“While water quality results can vary year-on-year, based largely on the amount of rainfall we receive, this is great news for locals and visitors alike,” he said.
“As we head into the swimming season I encourage everyone to not only Slip, Slop and Slap and swim between the flags, but to be COVID Safe on our beaches this summer.”
Mr Kean said open ocean beaches had recorded excellent results with 98 per cent of the 126 monitored, including Bondi and Manly, graded as ‘Very Good’ or ‘Good’.
“Improvements were also recorded at estuarine beaches, lakes and lagoons across the state with 85 per cent of estuarine swimming sites and 42 per cent of lakes and lagoons graded as ‘Very Good’ or ‘Good’,” he said.
Mr Kean said water quality at five swimming sites was downgraded compared to last year, including at Swansea Heads Little Beach in the Hunter and Hayes St Beach in Sydney.
NPWS’s 40-page State of the Beaches 2019-2020 report can be accessed at this PS News link.
