A spokesman for NSW Catchment and Lands Minister, John McClymont, described current water monitoring as being “consistent with the NSW Beachwatch program a decade ago” – but information received by the Courier Sun indicates levels of arsenic and antimony in Station Creek are above those considered safe for recreation.

Established in 1989, the Beachwatch Program monitors the impact of sewage and other pollutants on ocean beaches. 

A pilot program was conducted in Urunga between October 2002 and February 2004 with readings taken from three locations: the freshwater wetland adjacent to the exprocessing site, Station Creek at Hungry Head and the Sea Lido public swimming area.

Sample information seen by this newspaper of water taken from Station Creek identified “antimony levels above the drinking water quality guideline on all occasions” and “arsenic levels sitting above the recreational guidelines issued between February and April 2003”, following heavy rain. 

Official water monitoring results concluded there was a minimal impact from the disused crushing plant at the Sea Lido, “with water quality suitable for swimming”.

(They can be viewed at http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/beach/bppsob/bpp0203_2bellingen.pdf)

The spokesman for Mr McClymont declined to say whether there was any danger posed to public health.

Speaking over the phone from Sydney last week, he would only confirm testing was being done as part of the preremediation assessment of the Urunga site and that full results of the program would be released when the remediation plan was finished.

A spokesman for Bellingen Council said it was checking with the government to verify the results of latest water quality tests. 

“We are currently reviewing the data and will consult with the state government over the matter,” he said.