October 30, 2009: Bega Valley Shire Council is continuing to recommend against swimming, surfing, fishing or collecting shell fish in the vicinity of the southern end of Aslings Beach and Ross’s Bay, Eden, following a partially treated effluent discharge earlier this week.

Council’s manager of environmental health, Jeff Tipping, recommends that residents and visitors take the precaution following continuing process difficulties at the Eden sewage treatment plant that have resulted in effluent being treated to a lower standard than normal.

Advisory signs have been placed in appropriate locations in the area of the discharge.

"Sample results at the closest beach locations to the outfall do not indicate anything other than normal conditions," Mr Tipping said.

"However, we have been concentrating on identifying if contaminants are reaching the shore rather than the condition of the water near the ocean outfall which is why our precautionary warning signs remain in place for this area.

"Sampling and analysis at various locations will continue throughout the weekend and it is expected that these may show some elevated levels of bacterial indicators given the problems at the plant.

"Local aquaculture farmers, the Department of the Environment and Climate Change, NSW Safe Food and other relevant authorities have all been notified and are being kept informed of the situation.

"The Eden Whale Festival committee is also being kept up to date as information comes to hand," Mr Tipping said.

"It should be noted that the festivities associated with the whale festival and use of other beaches and inlets in the Eden area not are affected by the incident."