2016-02-23
Ms DUNN (Eastern Metropolitan) — My constituency question is for the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water. I have been contacted by members of my community in relation to unsafe levels of E. coli present in the Yarra River over the past two months. The most recent information from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), the government authority which monitors water quality in the Yarra River, was that as at 10 February E. coli levels at Warrandyte were five times the safe level for swimming in the river. Similarly, on 22 December 2015 E. coli levels at Warrandyte were four times the safe limit for humans. On this occasion the EPA posted a poor-fair forecast on swimming in the Yarra River on its Twitter account.
Does the minister believe that a Twitter post alerting the general public to unsafe levels of E. coli in the river is a fair warning? Is it not feasible to place a sign at the most popular swimming spots on the Yarra River to properly inform the public in Eastern Metropolitan Region of the risks associated with swimming in the river? What measures, procedures or increased funding to the EPA are required to ensure that E. coli levels in the river are safe for the general public, especially in the summer months?
ANSWER:
The EPA is currently reviewing its public notifications for the Yarra River. Given the range of notifications provided for breaches, it's clear that more can be done to notify people of the water quality in the Yarra River.
Hon Lisa Neville MP
Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water