Lake Parramatta is now home to Sydney’s first live water-quality monitoring buoy, giving swimmers access to real-time information about conditions at the popular swimming spot.
The solar-powered device, named Sunny after a community naming competition, operates around the clock and records water quality data including temperature, pH levels and dissolved oxygen. It also helps detect changes that may indicate the presence of blue-green algae.
City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Martin Zaiter said the technology would support efforts to maintain the health of the lake while helping visitors make informed decisions before swimming.
“Lake Parramatta has grown in popularity for swimmers looking for a quiet natural waterway to cool off in the summer months, and we want to ensure swimmers are aware of the water quality, especially after heavy rain, before they take a dip,” Cr Zaiter said.
“Information gathered by the buoy is updated on Council’s website in real time, so you can be confident a day out swimming in the lake will be an enjoyable experience.”
Located just outside the designated swimming area, Sunny adds to Council’s existing water testing program, which includes regular samples collected from five locations across the lake.
The City of Parramatta said the monitoring system forms part of its ongoing work to support healthier waterways and introduce sustainable solutions as the city continues to grow.
“We’re committed to our natural environment, implementing innovative, sustainable solutions like this to become an unrivalled river city in line with our Parramatta 2050 vision,” Cr Zaiter said.
“We are proud to be the first in western Sydney to install this equipment to help swimmers safely enjoy our natural waterways. It’s a small project set to make a big difference.”
Live water-quality results from the buoy are available through the City of Parramatta’s Swimming in Lake Parramatta and Lake Parramatta Buoy web pages.
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