The Project was set up in an attempt to address some of the shortfalls identified by stakeholders in water quality monitoring activities on the South Coast, which were outlined in the ‘Gippel Report’ of 1996, (‘Design of a Water Quality Monitoring Program for the Far South Coast Catchment Area NSW’).

The report highlighted the fact that there was little useful information available on the state of water quality on the South Coast, and further, that there was little coordination between the various monitoring programs in existence. Despite the fact that Government, Industry and Community groups were investing time, effort and money in a range of monitoring programs, there was no comprehensive, coordinated view of water quality information available.

A meeting held in Moruya in 1995, brought together for the first time the managers of some 14 different active monitoring programs for the purposes of exchanging information and improving the level of coordination between programs. At the time, many were not aware of the other programs existence.

The need for actions to improve this situation was recognised by the Bega Valley and Eurobodalla Shire Councils, the South East Catchment Management Board and the Department of Land and Water Conservation (DLWC). These organisations supported the development of the South East Water Quality Monitoring Project from its conception, with substantial financial contributions and an integral directional presence on the project's Steering Committee.

The project is intended to provide an integrative mechanism or link which allows a coordination and concentration of Community, Industry and Government attentions/efforts to genuinely address the lack of available information for this area and have a real targeted impact in defining the state of water quality for the South Coast. The project also seeks to set up community monitoring programs, which have levels of quality assurance to enable the data to be used by other organisations and scientific bodies. Waterwatch Australia and Streamwatch NSW are very keen to have the value of community group water quality data recognised and fully utilised.

In summary the key objectives of the project are;

• To develop and service a comprehensive and coordinated Water Quality Monitoring network for the South East
• The coordination of Water Quality Monitoring activities by Agencies, Shire Councils, Industry organisations, Universities, Schools and Community groups.
• The implementation of comprehensive water quality monitoring programs
• Coordination in the collation and reporting of Water Quality information
• The provision of technical support for industry and Community groups, Schools, Shire Councils and Catchment Management Committees
• The promotion of community awareness and understanding of Water Quality issues
• The identification of key actions necessary to maintain or improve water quality

The project is the only Waterwatch Program for the NSW South East that provides assistance to the community and other stakeholders in water quality monitoring, analysis, reporting, awareness raising and development of actions to minimise water quality problems.

The South Coast Water Quality Monitoring Project to has commissioned this website to

• provide information on water – its protection, conservation and management
• provide information on the water quality of the South East

• provide a directory of contacts and organisations involved in Water Quality issues and monitoring on the South East

• to promote an understanding of Water Quality issues and problems of the South Coast