UPDATE (NOVEMBER 2024): We want to thank everyone for participating in the Conversations Survey and for nominating your favourite swimming spot in the Clarence Valley.

The water quality will be tested at 12 swimming sites:

Water quality samples are collected from Monday, November 4th, until Monday, February 24th. Samples will not be collected for two weeks over the Christmas break.

The latest water quality results are available on the Beachwatch portal: https://www.beachwatch.nsw.gov.au/home

Remember— Swim between the red and yellow flags. If it has rained during the last few days, stormwater may contaminate swim sites. So, avoid swimming at ocean beaches after heavy rain for at least one day and up to three days in estuaries.

Clarence Valley Council is pleased to be participating in the 2024/2025 Beachwatch Program. You are invited to assist in nominating sites for water sampling.

The Beachwatch program is designed to assist individuals in making informed choices about their swimming locations and times, prioritising their well-being. It also aids local Councils in managing microbial risks and identifying potential pollution issues. The community can access the results of the Beachwatch water quality tests through a centralised web portal (see link below). The program's testing phase is scheduled from November 2024 to the end of February 2025.

The Water quality samples will be collected once a week and tested for the following:

• Enterococci Bacteria - Enterococci serves as an indicator of faecal contamination. This type of bacteria naturally occurs in human and animal intestines and can increase the risk of illness in humans when introduced to other parts of the body.

• Visual Inspection - Inspecting the site for signs of pollution, such as discoloured water, runoff from stormwater systems, odours, and organic debris, can aid in pinpointing the source of any substandard water quality results.

Based on the results, a star rating is generated on the Beachwatch web portal (see link below). Ratings are ranked from 1 to 4 stars to indicate swimming suitability.

We are inviting the community to nominate the 12 sites they most prefer we sample for the Beachwatch Program. A list of 19 swimming locations and possible sampling sites has been provided (see figure 1), to choose from. The list of 'possibles' includes diverse areas such as beaches, estuaries, bays, lagoons, and rock pools, and rivers. The final selection will prioritise sites that are of community interest, monitored by Surf Life Saving (SLS), equipped with public amenities, pose minimal physical risks to the public and Clarence Valley Council Staff, and fit within the logistical constraints of our collection schedule.

The swimming sites being considered for the program include:

Figure 1. List of potential sites for the Beachwatch Program.

Beachwatch web portal link - Beachwatch

Please complete the survey below.