Debris balls that closed Sydney beaches contained faecal matter and E coli bacteria, tests reveal
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As Northern Beaches mayor awaits confirmation of pollution source, water expert says ‘we know it’s sewage’. Debris balls that closed nine northern Sydney beaches last week contained faecal matter, E coli bacteria and saturated fatty acids, test results show.
The Northern Beaches council said on Tuesday it had received further analysis of balls it sent to the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) for testing. “In addition to the hydrocarbons identified in the preliminary test results last week, the latest results indicate the presence of saturated fatty acids, along with faecal coliforms and E coli,” the council said in a statement.
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email. Hydrocarbons are organic chemical compounds that can be found in oil and petrol. Manly, Dee Why, Long Reef, Queenscliff, Freshwater, North and South Curl Curl, North Steyne and North Narrabeen beaches were temporarily closed last week after the balls washed ashore.
Northern Beaches council said it understood the EPA had taken its own ball samples for analysis and would compare the results with those collected by the council. The council said a “small number” of marble-sized balls “mixed in with pumice” had been found and cleaned up on other harbour beaches this week, including at Little Manly and West Esplanade.
