Authorities are warning swimmers and surfers to stay away from Sydney's beaches due to high pollution levels caused by heavy rain, warns an article on the SMH site. It continues:
The rain over the past week has also forced some sewage plants into a partial bypass system, whereby some sewage is running into the ocean untreated.
A NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water spokeswoman said that authorities were recommending swimmers to avoid beaches over the next few days.
“[The] Beachwatch Program has recorded elevated levels of enterococci, a bacteria used to indicate the presence of sewage contamination, at many of Sydney’s ocean and harbour beaches following the heavy rainfall in recent weeks,” she said.
“The elevated enterococci levels are the result of stormwater discharges, sewage overflows and bypasses from coastal sewage treatment plants due to heavy rains.”
Having previously given a list of safe beaches at which to swim, the spokeswoman has updated her advice to say that no beaches were now considered safe.
With more heavy rain expected to fall across Sydney over the weekend, beach conditions are not expected to improve.
