Clean the pool - I'll help

I stood and applauded when the residents of Pearl Beach took it upon themselves to save their rock pool by raising sufficient funds to permit a concrete restoration.

And they succeeded.

The new pool will enhance Pearl Beach for generations to come.

It is what lies within the pool that completely nullifies the efforts of those dedicated people, for the water quality is appalling.

And one automatically suspects Gosford Council's lack of interest.

Ocean pools along the NSW seaboard are treated with respect by every other council.

They are a prized asset and are regularly cleaned and maintained to an acceptable standard, for those councils correctly realise the pools have excellent health benefits, especially for senior citizens.

I may be wrong, but Gosford Council seem to have but two ocean pools within its boundary, MacMasters Beach, which is heavily silted with sand for extended periods of the year, and Pearl Beach which is so heavily polluted with marine growth, silt and human debris that it fails to give any assurance that it is safe for human use.

I think the winter blue water swimmers may secure an annual cleaning of Pearl Beach prior to the start of their season, so perhaps the pool gets cleaned once annually.

That's a disgrace.

Some coastal councils in NSW do have funding issues which limits cleaning potential, so they have passed responsibility for pool cleaning on to the community.

Taree Council is an excellent example.

The ocean pool at Hallidays Point, just north of Foster, is pristine thanks to the community, for it is cleaned every second Thursday by volunteers.

The pool then welcomes both resident and visitor.

There are some astute minds at Pearl Beach.

If those minds can get council to agree, I for one will gladly give my time to clean that pool.

Email, 15 Nov 2011 Warwick Egan, Umina