In December 2023, the NSW Government advised Sydney councils that Councils would now need to fund the Beachwatch program or risk losing water quality monitoring in their Local Government Areas. However, Councils in the Sydney region are not legally responsible for monitoring water quality beyond the mean high-water mark, this is a State Government responsibility. Independent expert advice has confirmed that poor Beachwatch ratings in Sydney are primarily caused by sewage contamination – a responsibility of Sydney Water, not local councils.

Discontinuing the Beachwatch Program would remove an essential source of public health information about water quality and beach safety. Sydney’s beaches are among the most popular in Australia, attracting millions of visitors each year. Without this program, the community may not have access to reliable data on when and where it is safe to swim, increasing health risks and undermining public confidence in beach water quality. Councils also highly value this long-term monitoring program particularly as the State prepares an annual State of the Beaches report and this information assists in prioritising areas where infrastructure upgrades are needed such as advocating to Sydney Water for sewer leaks to be fixed.

Recent incidents of water pollution have led to the closure of 23 Sydney beaches due to the presence of balls of pollutants washing ashore. Pollutants from sewer was a key component. These incidents highlight the importance of maintaining robust water quality monitoring programs to protect public health and safety and maintain the economic viability of business surrounding these beaches.

Regular assessment plays an important role in detecting emerging pollution problems and the high-quality data enables effective stormwater and wastewater management and assessment, and highlights areas where further work is needed.

If you consider that the beachwatch program should be continued and paid for by the NSW government then write to your local State Member James Griffin, MP and the NSW Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe.

Tell them From 30 June 2025, many beaches, including Manly harbour and ocean beaches, could lose the vital Beachwatch testing service. Councils were told they must now pay for Beachwatch themselves—or lose it. This is not fair! A massive rate rise doesn’t mean that Council should have to pay! Beachwatch monitors areas beyond council responsibility. Poor ratings are mainly caused by sewage issues—Sydney Water’s job, not councils’. Shifting costs from State to Local Government sets a risky precedent.

It matters because, No Beachwatch means no reliable info on water quality and safety. Sydney beaches draw millions of visitors—without water testing, health risks rise and public trust drops. Long-term monitoring also helps pinpoint where upgrades (like sewer repairs) are most needed. Keep Beachwatch state-funded