A major report has again rated 100 per cent of swimming sites in the Illawarra as either good or very good.
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The results released in the 2020-21 State of the Beaches report are consistent with last year's findings.
In the Wollongong LGA, only Coledale Beach's rating went down from very good to good. Six of the city's 13 beaches, Stanwell Park, Austinmer, Woonona, Wollongong City, Coniston and Fisherman's beach, were rated as very good in this year's report.
Two of Shellharbour's three beaches, Warilla and Shellharbour scored very good ratings.
The rating of two of Kiama's five beaches, Boyds Jones and Werri beach, dropped from very good to good.
Bombo and Seven Mile Beach in Gerroa were rated as very good.
The Hunter was the only other region in NSW which saw 100 per cent of its swimming sites rated as good or very good. This rating was a four per cent improvement on last year.
The ratings of Sydney (91 per cent), Central Coast (56), North Coast (68) and the South Coast (95) all declined in the latest report.
This year's report provided an overview of the water quality at 210 swimming locations monitored under the Beachwatch and Beachwatch Partnership programs across NSW.
It found that 98 per cent of the state's 118 ocean beaches were graded as good or very good.
Of the 71 estuarine swimming sites in NSW, 77 per cent were graded as good or very good.
But only 24 per cent of the 17 lake/lagoon swimming sites were graded as good or very good, while all four ocean baths in the state were graded as good.
Environment Minister Matt Kean said 179 of the 210 swimming sites in NSW were graded as good or very good, indicating they were suitable for swimming most of the time.
"This is a good result given the wet weather conditions experienced in many coastal areas, including the wettest summer in NSW since 2012," Mr Kean said.
"As we head into the summer swimming season I encourage everyone to not only Slip, Slop and Slap and swim between the flags, but to be COVID Safe on our beaches this summer."
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
