Coogee beach among Sydney swimming spots ranked most polluted with faecal matter

People swimming at Coogee beach in Sydney. The NSW government has advised people to check its water quality monitor as a blistering heat moved through the east coast on Wednesday. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Coogee beach and Shelly beach in Manly have ranked among the Sydney swimming sites most polluted with faecal matter in the city, a government report has found.

About 21% of 249 swimming sites across NSW received a rating of “poor” or “very poor” in the 2024-25 NSW State of the Beaches report, part of an annual survey by the NSW department of environment.