Water Quality Watch
Popular lake and beach swimming spots are tested weekly from November through to April as part of Council’s recreational water quality monitoring program. This program is being run in partnership with the Office of Environment and Heritage’s (OEH) Beachwatch program.
Council samples one beach and 13 lake sites and Hunter Water sample another five beach sites for Enterococci bacteria.
The presence of Enterococci indicates that water may be polluted with stormwater or sewage, and Enterococci levels above 100 organisms/100mL indicate that water may be unsuitable for swimming.
Council recommends that people avoid swimming in the lake and/or beaches during and at least 48 hours after heavy rainfall because of the increased risk of pollution from contaminated stormwater. The Australian Government’s Bureau of Meteorology contains information on recent and historical rainfall data for Lake Macquarie and the region.
| Site | Range enterococci/100ml |
Description | Star Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Lake Sites | ||||
| Belmont Near baths at jetty on Brooks Parade |
< 41 | Good | ||
| Cams Wharf End of Cams Wharf Road |
41 — 200 | Fair | ||
| Catherine Hill Bay Surf Club |
< 41 | Good | ||
| Croudace Bay Baths opposite bowling club |
< 41 | Good | ||
| Eleebana Lions Park adjacent to boat ramp |
41 — 200 | Fair | ||
| Speers Point Park Near jetty at park |
< 41 | Good | ||
| Swansea Carpark at Coon Island |
< 41 | Good | ||
| West Lake Sites | ||||
| Arcadia Vale Baths at park on Alexander Parade |
< 41 | Good | ||
| Balcolyn Boat ramp at Shingle Splitters Point |
< 41 | Good | ||
| Bolton Point Baths off Prospect Avenue |
< 41 | Good | ||
| Kilaben Bay Baths adjacent to Kilaben Park |
< 41 | Good | ||
| Sunshine Near jetty at corner of Sunshine Parade and Cessnock Road |
< 41 | Good | ||
| Toronto Near jetty at baths adjacent to Wharf Street |
< 41 | Good | ||
| Wangi Near jetty at Wangi Point Caravan Park |
< 41 | Good | ||