Bayside Council is pleased that the NSW Environmental Protection Agency (NSW EPA) has completed water sampling of Botany Bay in response to concerns about contamination around Sydney Airport.
While Bayside Council does not own, manage or maintain Tower Beach, Council has actively participated in discussions with the NSW EPA, the Federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts, and Sydney Airport to advocate for the safety and concerns of residents.
NSW EPA officers tested water from a number of locations around Botany Bay and have concluded that the levels of PFAS is well below the National Health and Medical Research Council's Recreational Water Quality Guidelines, labelling the PFAS risk to swimmers and other users of the beach as low.
The NSW EPA has recommended that swimmers avoid swimming for three days after heavy rain and encourages beachgoers to visit the Beachwatch website for daily updates on water quality associated with stormwater pollution.
The NSW EPA have advised that they will be re-testing selected species of fish, in partnership with the Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries, in the coming months to evaluate dietary advice.
Mayor Edward McDougall said:
"We are pleased to hear that the NSW EPA has taken the concerns and safety of our residents seriously and conducted testing of the Bay.
Bayside Council will continue to advocate for the needs of our residents and work with relevant authorities to ensure our community is aware of any risks."
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