2022-11-08 Planning & Environment Meeting Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                8 NOVEMBER 2022


The outcomes of the workshop included the need to address specific components of the program
individually including database management, development of sub-catchment report cards for the
Noosa River catchment, and the development of objectives and identification of key management
focuses.
Additional water quality monitoring programs – Environmental Health Branch
As part of the integrated water quality monitoring program, monitoring for public health purposes
is undertaken by Noosa Council’s Environmental Health Branch. In Queensland, the Public Health
Act 2005 explicitly identifies water that ‘includes drinking water, water used for recreational
purposes, recycled water, waste water and sewage’ when describing public health risks that are
regulated. The Act assigns responsibility for regulating all public health risks associated with non-
drinking water and non-recycled water to local government.
There are two types of recreation in Noosa waterways – primary contact is any activity where the
whole body or face is frequently immersed in water, while secondary contact refers to activities
where only the limbs are regularly wet and ingesting water is unlikely. To make sure Noosa’s
waterways remain safe to use, Council’s Environmental Health Branch proactively test water
samples for microbes and elevated levels of enterococci bacteria. Monitoring is conducted
regularly throughout the year at a number of recreational water quality monitoring locations across
the Shire, including Gympie Terrace, Little Cove, Sunrise Beach, Burgess Creek (at mouth and
100m up from the creek), Peregian Beach, Noosa Main Beach, Noosa River and Eenie Creek.
Further investigations are currently being carried out at the other recreational water bodies to
determine their use and locations for future testing including Marcus Beach, Doonan Creek,
Boreen Point, Kin Kin Creek, Northshore, Lake Cooroibah, Sandy Creek, Lake Cootharaba,
Ringtail Creek and Teewah Beach.
The results from monitoring conducted indicate the levels present at the time the samples were
taken. For both primary and secondary contact use of recreational waterways, respective one-off
(single sample) microbial trigger values have been established. Trigger values indicate when
microbial indicator bacteria concentrations are sufficiently elevated to warrant either further
investigation or action to reduce the risk of potential illness as a result of recreational use of a
waterway.
Where the Environmental Health Branch identifies that a recreational water body contains elevated
levels of enterococci bacteria that poses a health risk they may take action including: closing the
site temporarily; warning the community via temporary signage; informing the community through
our main website and media releases and continuing to monitor the site until it is safe to swim.
In addition, Council’s Environmental Health Branch closely monitors harmful algal blooms (also
referred to as 'phytoplankton blooms', 'microalgal blooms', 'toxic algae' or 'red tides') which
correspond with seasonal events in both fresh and coastal marine waters throughout Queensland.
Algal blooms caused by organisms may pose a direct threat to human and animal health. Council
together with Queensland Health responds to these events.
Previous Council Consideration
Nil
Finance
The Environment Services Branch received $75,000 in the 2022/2023 budget for the integrated
monitoring program. Further future funding will be necessary to ensure a comprehensive program
is implemented. The Environmental Services Branch is in the process of determining the cost in
future years.
Risks & Opportunities
This program will support the revision of the Noosa River Plan and is fundamental to our
understanding of water quality in the Noosa catchment, including coastal creeks such as Burgess
Creek. The program presents a unique opportunity to better understand the condition of specific


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