Monitoring of water quality at selected Shoalhaven locations is done each week during the summer season. The star rating categories are derived from the microbial assessment categories used in the National Health & Medical Research Council (2008) Guidelines.

Good rating - bacterial levels are safe for bathing according to National Health & Medical Research Council guidelines.

Fair rating - bacterial levels indicate an increased risk of illness to bathers, particularly those with lower immune function such as the elderly and young children.

Poor and Bad ratings - bacterial levels indicate a substantially increased risk of illness to bathers

Further information about the program is available from the Beachwatch website (new window), run by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.

The most recent samples were taken on the 24th January 2012.

Beach	Rating
Shoalhaven Heads beach	Good
Tilbury Cove	Good
Warrain beach	Good
Collingwood beach	Good
Cudmirrah beach	Good
Mollymook beach	Good
Rennies beach	Good
Racecourse beach	Good
Bawley Point beach	Good
Merry beach	Good

Lake Conjola Sites	December	January	February	March	April
Entrance Boat Ramp	Poor	Good	Good	Good	Good
Kilarney	Fair	Fair	Good	Fair	Fair
Conjola Park	Good	Good	Good	Fair	Fair

Enterococci (cfu/100ml) category	Rating	Meaning
< 41	Good	Suitable for swimming
41 - 200	Fair	Suitable for swimming
201 - 500	Poor	Not suitable for swimming
> 500	Bad	Not suitable for swimming

Note: cfu stands for colony forming units

General warnings

• Avoid swimming during and at least one day after heavy rain at ocean beaches, and for at least three days at harbour beaches, due to the possibility of pollution from stormwater drains.
• Avoid swimming near storm water drains or sewage outfalls.
• Avoid swimming if you see signs of pollution such as discoloured water, oil or scum on the water, and litter or other debris floating in the water or on the tide line.

Improve water quality

Actions to do more often	Actions to avoid
Pick up litter in the park or on the street	Washing the car in the street
Sweep the gutters and driveways regularly and place the sweepings on the garden or in the compost	Hosing dirt off hard surfaces like  paths and driveways, into gutters
Do not allow soil or mulch to be washed or blown off the garden	Dropping packaging or cigarette butts on the ground.
Clean up pet droppings and dispose of them thoughtfully	Leaving rubbish where bins are already full
Rake up leaves or lawn clippings and use them as mulch on the garden or place them in the compost	Hosing leaving and grass clippings into gutters
Grass or replant areas of disturbed soil	Washing cement mixers into the gutter
Consider natural alternatives to pest control chemicals	Using too much fertilisers. Follow the instructions
Maintain the car, making sure there are no leaks and that the fuel is burned cleanly by keeping the vehicle tuned	Piling sand and soil on areas where it can be washed into the stormwater system.
Use the minimum amount of detergent for cleaning outside	Using pesticides, fertiliser and herbicides when rain is forecasted for the same day
Wash brushes and rollers over a sand filter on the lawn	Disposing of oil or chemicals into the gutters
Wash cars on the lawn or gravel and use minimal detergent. Empty the soapy water down the sink or toilet. Alternatively, take the car to a car wash where the water gets treated and recycled	Overuse of pesticides and herbicides that could be washed into stormwater from the garden
Make sure sewerage pipes are not connected illegally to stormwater	Pouring paint, solvent or cleaners in the gutter or where they may enter drains
Install a rainwater tank	Covering large areas with impervious surfaces e.g. bitumen, concrete
Direct roof runoff from downpipes to the garden
Replace concrete or other hardsurfaces with permeable surfaces such as timber decks and pavers with gaps between pavers
Get involved with bushcare or landcare projects that restore or protect local waterways