PSA: There’s No Swim Warnings For Heaps Of Syd’s Most Popular Beaches After Rain Pollution

An image of Bondi Beach, one of many Sydney beaches issued pollution warnings.

Another day, another attempt by Mother Nature to cancel hot girl summer. This time, pollution warnings have been put in place for a bunch of Sydney’s most popular beaches which are no longer safe to swim in.

Scientists have warned that a massive 73 swimming spots across Sydney have become polluted with rain-run off and storm water after the city experienced an absolute drenching this week.

“Sydney Water has advised of a sewage overflow nearby on 07 February 2022 which may affect this site,” Beach Watch‘s warning reads.

“As a precaution, swimming should be avoided due to the possibility of pollution.”

The news, while super disappointing for my various attempts at having an actual summer, isn’t surprising. Ocean pollution after heavy rain is common and it can be dangerous for swimmers because there’s more harmful bacteria and pathogens in the ocean.

Lord knows in this pandemic we don’t need any more of those.

“It’s all microbial, it’s all microscopic, so you can’t really tell necessarily,” Earth Watch Institute chief scientist Scott Wilson told 9 News.

Normally when you’re having a dip, a safe amount of bacteria in beaches is 40 enterococci (a specific type of bacteria) per 100ml.

But on Wednesday, after Sydney pissed down on us, it’s predicted that hotspots have up to 10,000 enterococci per 100ml in hotspots.

The highest recorded at a Sydney beach this year was Tamarama, at 39,000 enterococci. Brb, vomiting.

The yucky beaches with pollution warnings right now for swimmers include faves Bondi, Tamarama, Bronte, Coogee, North Narrabeen and North Curl Curl, just to name a few.

Check out the full list below:

Sydney beaches with pollution warnings on Wednesday:

  • Birdwood Park (Narrabeen Lagoon) – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • North Narrabeen – pollution is possible, take care
  • North Curl Curl – pollution is possible, take care
  • Queenscliff Beach – pollution is possible, take care
  • Bondi Beach – pollution is possible, take care
  • Tamarama Beach – pollution is possible, take care
  • Bronte Beach – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Coogee Beach – pollution is possible, take care
  • Malabar Beach – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Little Bay Beach – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Boat Harbour – pollution is possible, take care
  • Barrenjoey Beach – pollution is possible, take care
  • Bayview Baths – pollution is possible, take care
  • Parsley Bay – pollution is possible, take care
  • Rose Bay Beach – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Murray Rose Pool – pollution is possible, take care
  • Hayes Street Beach – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Clifton Gardens – pollution is possible, take care
  • Balmoral Baths – pollution is possible, take care
  • Edwards Beach – pollution is possible, take care
  • Chinamans Beach – pollution is possible, take care
  • Northbridge Baths – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Davidson Reserve – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Gurney Crescent Baths – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Clontarf Pool – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Forty Baskets Pool – pollution is possible, take care
  • Cabarita Beach – pollution is possible, take care
  • Dawn Fraser Pool – pollution is possible, take care
  • Chiswick Baths – pollution is possible, take care
  • Woolwich Baths – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Tambourine Bay – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Woodford Bay – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Greenwich Baths – pollution is possible, take care
  • Monterey Baths – pollution is possible, take care
  • Silver Beach – pollution is possible, take care
  • Sandringham Baths – pollution is possible, take care
  • Dolls Point Baths – pollution is possible, take care
  • Ramsgate Baths – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Brighton Le Sands Baths – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Kyeemagh Baths – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Foreshores Beach – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Yarra Bay – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Frenchmans Bay – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Congwong Bay – pollution is possible, take care
  • Como Baths – pollution is possible, take care
  • Jew Fish Bay Baths – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Oatley Bay Baths – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Carss Point Baths – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Horderns Beach – pollution is likely, avoid swimming
  • Gymea Bay Baths – pollution is possible, take care
  • Gunnamatta Bay Baths – pollution is possible, take care

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