General

Waters within NSW are used for a variety of leisure and recreational activities. These activities are classified into the following types of recreational use, passive, secondary and primary contact recreation. Primary (eg swimming) and to a lesser extent, secondary (eg canoeing) contact recreation activities may provide greater exposure of individuals to health risks resulting from the presence of a variety of contaminants, including pathogenic organisms associated with faecal contamination. The visual amenity of waterways may be compromised by the presence of litter, surface scum and murky waters. However, these may be no direct health risk to the observer.

Monitoring water quality over a large geographic area or over a long timeframe can be prohibitively expensive. The key to minimising cost is a monitoring program which is targeted at meeting specific regional priorities and local recreational objectives.

(Source: http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/publications/draftbeachwatchinfopackage.pdf)

Protocol

Monitoring and Reporting Protocols
http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/publications/draftbeachwatchinfopackage.pdf

Bacteria
http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/publications/draftbeachwatchinfopackageappsa-g.pdf

Costs

$15-25 per bacteria sample.

Case Studies

NSW EPA Beachwatch program
http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/beach/

Beachwatch and Harbourwatch State of the Beaches 2002-2003

Organisation contacts

NSW EPA (DEC)
59-61 Goulburn Street, Sydney
PO Box A290, Sydney South 1232
Phone: (02) 9995 5000 (switch)
Fax: (02) 9995 5999

Beachwatch / Harbourwatch
(daily information on beach and harbour recreational water quality conditions in Sydney)
1800 036 677