Shelly Beach failed to comply with enterococci criteria throughout the entire 1999-2000 summer season. The Hunter region beaches continue to be the cleanest group of beaches monitored as part of the Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra Beachwatch program. Intense rainfall during March 2000 resulted in stormwater pollution and sewage treatment plant bypasses being recorded in the Illawarra. Despite the wet weather, an improvement in water quality was recorded at North Wollongong and Fishermans Beach this summer. A dramatic improvement in water quality was recorded at Gunnamatta Bay Baths in Port Hacking.
Many initiatives are under way to improve beach and harbour water quality.
Warriewood STP is also being upgraded to include UV disinfection. The EISs will be used to consider ways to protect the environment from sewer overflows and to ensure continuous improvement. The Northside Storage Tunnel, to be completed in 2000, is predicted to reduce the number of sewerage overflows by 80-90 per cent from four of the largest overflow sites in Sydney Harbour. Hunter Water has announced that the Stockton wastewater treatment plant will be decommissioned by mid-2002. Hunter Water is also developing an Environmental Improvement Plan to investigate sewer overflows and impacts in the Hunter catchments.