Locals took to Sydney's beaches to beat the heat of a 36 degree-day, but a new data has revealed some spots, including Manly's Shelly Beach, contain harmful levels of bacteria.

Council of the City of Sydney

Sydney has experienced a significant heatwave, with temperatures reaching up to 36 degrees in the city and 37 degrees in western suburbs such as Richmond and Penrith. The heat has prompted many residents to seek relief at local beaches, though new Beachwatch data has identified several popular swimming spots, including Manly's Shelley Beach, as having poor water quality due to high levels of harmful bacteria.

The report named Bayview Baths as the worst for water quality, with regular testing revealing the presence of Enterococci bacteria, which can cause illnesses such as gastroenteritis and ear, nose, and throat infections. In contrast, Avalon and other northern beaches were recognised for their clean waters, dominating the list of Sydney's top swimming spots. The heatwave is expected to continue, marking this spring as potentially the hottest on record for the region.

Report reveals poor water quality at Sydney beaches amid heatwave

As the sun rose and the temperature climbed, Sydney woke to a taste of summer. Yes! Winds from the north dragged hot air over New South Wales, sending temperatures soaring up to 36 degrees in the city. But at Manly's Shelley Beach, a swim took the sting out of the heat. It's a little bit chilly. This is a Monday morning ritual for us, and we've been doing it for 25 years. But new data from Beachwatch has somewhat clouded its waters. The swimming spot named as Sydney's eighth dirtiest beach. Pretty surprising. It's quite nice out there today. The vis is pretty good. After all of those big swells and all of that rain we had, it got pretty disgusting for a little bit. But the news didn't put off Jess and her fellow divers today or the marine life she's filmed this year teeming under the surface. Foreshores Beach and Brighton Le Sands in Botany Bay also made the list, while Bayview Baths took out the worst spot. That means regular testing often revealed harmful levels of the bacteria Enterococci, which leave swimmers exposed to sicknesses like gastro and ear, nose and throat. After heavy rain, in an urban area like around us, that's when whatever is on the ground can flow into the water, so that can be a source of contamination, but also our sewerage systems can leak. The city's most pristine waters went to Avalon on the northern beaches. The region dominated the city's cleanest swim spots, taking out nine of the ten top spots. But out west, as the temperature reached 37 degrees in Richmond and Penrith, cancelling children's sport in the Nepean District, water quality was only judged by the cool-off test. Just ask Mireles. You get to, like, splash around in the water. Do some monies, do some bombs. If you've been thinking that it's far warmer than normal lately, then you'd be right, with this week's sweltering forecast, October is said to be our hottest spring month on record. And this hot spell isn't over yet. Hannah Taylor, 10 News.

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