Fantastic news if you’re planning to hop into the drink and having a bit of a splash at one of Melbourne‘s beaches: you’re no longer likely to get a bug that will make you get day-ruiningly nasty diarrhea.
The Environmental Protection Authority issued a warning for 21 of Melbourne’s beaches yesterday, after a big ol’ storm washed a delightful cocktail of human and animal faeces out of stormwater drains and into the chilly waters of Victoria‘s sandy shores.
The EPA reduced all the warnings from the previously “poor” (unswimmable) beaches to “fair”, which means swimmable. Well, mostly, according to Dr Anthony Boxshall from the EPA:
“Fair is acceptable for swimming. The risk is less. It is fair, which means there is still a chance some people might get sick.“But generally stay clear of off-looking or smelly water, keep up with the forecasts and don’t swim near stormwater drains either.”
Fishermen are also being told to be careful and are being advised not to eat fish who are unusually coloured, unusually lethargic, or have visible sores. Yum.
If you’re planning on taking a dip, you can check the EPA’s website for which beaches are clear and which are still a bit iffy, and, regardless of which beach you choose, be sure to avoid swimming near stormwater drains or in water that smells a bit like turds.
Source: The Age.
