Beachgoers can head back to the surf or their favourite swimming spots with confidence as the beaches of the Bega Valley Shire are among the cleanest in NSW.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
All 14 monitored swimming sites in the Bega Valley Shire were given an overall grading of ‘Good’ or ‘Very Good’ for the 2013/14 reporting period.
An annual State of the Beaches Report of the summertime water quality of more than 260 popular NSW beaches and swimming spots has been released by The Office of Environment and Heritage.
Senior environmental health officer, Greg O’Donnell said that making our region’s beaches some of the states cleanest maintains the excellent results that have been recorded in previous years.
“This outcome is the result of teamwork between the NSW Government’s Office of the Environment and Heritage and Bega Valley Shire Council to ensure water quality is monitored, reported and continually improved,” he said.
“Upgrades of sewer and storm water infrastructure and tougher regulatory action on polluters by Council and the NSW Government have played a significant role in cleaner waterways, despite the pressures of a growing population.
“Key findings in the 2013/14 report were that the cleanest beaches were Beares Beach, Camel Rock Beach, Tathra Beach, Short Point Beach, Main Beach (Merimbula), Pambula Beach, Pambula River Mouth, and Aslings Beach.
“Horseshoe Bay, Bruce Steer Pool, Blue Pool Bermagui, Mogareeka Inlet, Bar Beach and Cocora Beach were all graded ‘Good’, meaning water quality is of a high standard and suitable for swimming.
“Local beachgoers and visitors to Bega Valley can expect clean beaches and excellent swimming conditions again this summer.”
“While this is very good news, there are many things the community can do to help keep our swimming spots clean like placing litter in the bin and ensuring rubbish does not find its way into the stormwater system, we can all reduce pollution across our beaches,” Mr O’Donnell said.
Remember the red and yellow flags indicate the safest place to swim when lifeguards and lifesavers patrol beaches, so please swim between the red and yellow flags for a more enjoyable and safe experience at the beach.
The 2013/14 The OEH State of the Beaches Report is available here.