00:00Neil loves to take advantage of Canberra's waterways and their spectacular views.
00:07He often paddles at Yarralumla Bay and Lake Burley Griffin.
00:11I need a nice sunny still day.
00:13But his favourite spot now comes with a warning.
00:16Four out of ten of the National Capital Authority's testing sites are currently closed for primary contact.
00:23The same goes for most of the swimming spots in the ACT's natural waterways,
00:28including on the Murrumbidgee River, Canberra Pool, Pine Island and Point Hut Crossing.
00:34We still allow things like kayaking and boating and fishing and that sort of thing.
00:38We just ask that people don't swim in the waterways.
00:40Neil has been a regular lake user for many years and he's always careful.
00:45Kayaking's okay, but you do have to watch you don't get water splashed in your mouth or on your drink bottle, things like that.
00:51This water may look clear, but this area is currently unsafe for swimming
00:56and experts are urging anyone looking to swim in one of Canberra's swimming spots this summer
01:00to check whether it's safe for swimming before taking the plunge.
01:04Both the National Capital Authority and Parks ACT do regular quality checks of the water.
01:10We test for a range of different parameters, including bacteria and lupine algae being the main two.
01:15And at the moment we've got closures due to elevated bacteria.
01:20Water and heat tend to be a perfect recipe for bacteria.
01:24When we have heavy rainfall, we get a spike in nutrients into the waterways and that can lead to the closures.
01:29Often you'll get blue-green algae more in our urban lakes and that can be from hot weather when the water's been sitting still.
01:35But water quality levels often change week by week.
01:39When you see rainfall, don't be too surprised if we then also have to close swimming areas.
01:43But they usually lift within a week or so.
01:45Until then, Canberrans will need to check that it's safe to go back into the water.
01:54For more information, visit canberra.ca
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