A 'bad' rating for water quality at Oatley Bay Baths and 'poor' at both Oatley Bay and Jew Fish Bay Bath has prompted a call for more funding for the NSW Government's Beachwatch and Riverkeeper programs. or signup to continue reading Water quality testing on January 10 and 17 at the popular local swimming spots also detected high levels of enterococci at both sites, indicating potential contamination from faecal matter in the water. Oatley MP Mark Coure said that while the Georges Riverkeeper and Beachwatch team do a fantastic job, more funding had to be committed to ensure that these programs remain effective.
"The summer season is still in full swing and families in our community are looking to escape those hot days," Mr Coure said. "However, parents should not have to put their kids' health at risk because the NSW Government cannot manage our local waterways. "In fact, they want to instead cut funding to the Beachwatch program, which tests for pollution and contaminants in waterways across NSW.
Local councils will now have to pay for this out-of-pocket, with ratepayers picking up the bill." Georges River Councillor Peter Mahoney met with Mr Coure at Oatley Baths recently to discuss the latest water quality findings, stating that the NSW Government must continue to fund the Beachwatch program. "The Beachwatch program plays a vital role in the health of our river, and gives a necessary indication to everyone who uses it for swimming, boating, fishing or even walking or livin.