NSW Beach Water Quality Report Shows Slight Improvement but Coogee Remains Poor for Fifth Year

Water quality at the state's beaches has improved slightly, but one of Sydney's most popular swimming spots has received a "poor" grade for the fifth year in a row.

Ninety seven per cent of the state's monitored ocean beaches received a rating of "good" or "very good" in this year's State of the Beaches report, up from 95 per cent in 2025.

Avalon was Sydney's cleanest beach, while on the Central Coast, Birdie Beach, Frazer Beach and Forresters Beach shared top honours.

One Mile Beach was the Hunter's highest-scoring swimming spot, while the Shoalhaven's cleanest was Warrain Beach.

Wollongong City Beach and Shellharbour Beach were the Illawarra's cleanest beaches in 2026.

However, the report also highlighted continued water quality issues at some swimming spots, including Coogee Beach, which received another "poor" rating.

It hasn't received a "good" rating since 2021.

Dr Meredith Campey, manager of the NSW government's Beachwatch program, said Coogee was "more susceptible to stormwater impact" than other beaches.

"But when it rains, it gets a lot of stormwater which comes through a large stormwater drain at the north end of the beach," she said.

Narrabeen Lagoon, Rose Bay Beach, Frenchmans Bay and Yarra Bay were among the 40 sites to receive "poor" grades.

Foreshores Beach, Gymea Bay Baths and the Blue Mountain's Minnehaha Falls all received "very poor" grades.

How were swimming spots graded?

Beachwatch did not assess every swimming spot, but graded 229 sites on a scale from "very good" to "very poor."

As well as ocean beaches, they included estuarine, lake, lagoon and freshwater sites.

The sites were given a sanitary inspection to assess the likelihood of faecal contamination.

Stormwater drains, sewage outflow points and swimmers themselves could all contribute that risk, Dr Campey said.

Regular water quality testing was also undertaken, measuring the levels of enterococci — a bacteria found in faeces.

Overall, 79 per cent of swimming spots received "good" or "very good" gradings, a slight improvement on last year's result of 76 per cent.

Dr Campey said many parts of the state received average to below-average rainfall during the 2026 reporting period, which had a positive effect on water quality results.

"Rainfall is the major driver of pollution to recreational waters, because it generates stormwater runoff and also triggers discharges from the wastewater system," she said.

Bondi vs 'Pondi'

While the blue water and golden sand of Bondi Beach are internationally recognised, the report shows 'Pondi' — Penrith Beach — enjoys the same "good" grade as the famous landmark.

Mona Vale and Dee Why both improved their grades to "very good" in 2026.

Manly's Shelly Beach improved its performance, as did Double Bay's Murray Rose (Redleaf) Pool, which both moved from "poor" to "good".

North Avoca and MacMasters beaches were among several Central Coast swimming spots that received improved results in 2026.

On the north coast, Air Force Beach, Evans Head Main Beach and Shark Bay all ascended into the "very good" category.

Water quality at Sydney's Maroubra Beach declined in the 2026 reporting period and it was downgraded from "very good" to "good".

Surf Beach at Kiama also went backwards, receiving a "poor" grading in this year's report.

NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said the report was backed by "good science."

"Through decades of consistent monitoring, Beachwatch provides the robust data needed to track water quality trends and give swimmers confidence in the information they use," she said.