❓ Hon Michelle Hofmann raises concerns about water quality at Mullaloo Beach, Ocean Reef Beach, and Pinnaroo Point, prompting a response detailing complaint numbers, public notification measures, and actions to prevent harm from contaminated water.
AnsweredQoN 1153Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to long-standing community concern about water quality at Mullaloo Beach, noted in the O₂ Report’s community consultation summary, including concerns about illness, odour, discolouration, and inadequate communication, and I ask: (a) how many complaints relating to water quality at Mullaloo Beach, Ocean Reef Beach, and Pinnaroo Point have been received by Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, the Water Corporation, or the Department of Health in each of the past three calendar years; (b) what actions is the Government taking to ensure real-time public notification of unsafe swimming conditions, as occurs in other Australian jurisdictions; and (c) what steps will the Government take to ensure that swimmers, particularly children and the elderly, are not exposed to preventable harm resulting from contaminated recreational water?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
24 February 2026
Responded by
Minister for the Environment
Response time
5 days
a)
Department
2023
2024
2025
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
1
58
13
Water Corporation
1
2
1
Department of Health
0
7
2
b)
The Department of Health oversees microbial water quality monitoring of recreational/ environmental waterways in Western Australia, including most metropolitan beaches.
The Department of Health works with Local Government Authorities to regularly collect and test water samples to assess the health of popular waterways, including the ocean water quality at Mullaloo beach, Ocean Reef beach and Pinnaroo Point.
The Department of Health assesses long-term bacterial water quality results and assign temporary beach grades to these popular recreational and other environmental water locations in accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council, 2008, Guidelines for Managing Risks in Recreational Water.
Beach grades for Perth metropolitan ocean sites are updated as water quality results are received and may be found on the Department of Health website.
c)
When the Department of Health becomes aware of contamination, either via analytical test results or via public notification, the Department promptly responds and works with the relevant Local Government Authority to install appropriate signage at prominent public locations, advising persons not to swim at or consume marine life from the affected area.
The Department of Health also works collaboratively with the Water Corporation to ensure that wastewater treatment plants are operated in compliance with relevant regulatory requirements and that sewage spills from the network into waterways, as well as other contamination events, are responded to promptly to protect public health.
Department
2023
2024
2025
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
1
58
13
Water Corporation
1
2
1
Department of Health
0
7
2
b)
The Department of Health oversees microbial water quality monitoring of recreational/ environmental waterways in Western Australia, including most metropolitan beaches.
The Department of Health works with Local Government Authorities to regularly collect and test water samples to assess the health of popular waterways, including the ocean water quality at Mullaloo beach, Ocean Reef beach and Pinnaroo Point.
The Department of Health assesses long-term bacterial water quality results and assign temporary beach grades to these popular recreational and other environmental water locations in accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council, 2008, Guidelines for Managing Risks in Recreational Water.
Beach grades for Perth metropolitan ocean sites are updated as water quality results are received and may be found on the Department of Health website.
c)
When the Department of Health becomes aware of contamination, either via analytical test results or via public notification, the Department promptly responds and works with the relevant Local Government Authority to install appropriate signage at prominent public locations, advising persons not to swim at or consume marine life from the affected area.
The Department of Health also works collaboratively with the Water Corporation to ensure that wastewater treatment plants are operated in compliance with relevant regulatory requirements and that sewage spills from the network into waterways, as well as other contamination events, are responded to promptly to protect public health.
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