A non-toxic red dye will be released in the Wallis Lake next week as part of a research project which will help protect the long-term sustainability of the local oyster industry.
This research is part of a state-wide project being funded by Regional NSW through the Sector Recovery and Resilience Grants that has Council partnering with the NSW Food Authority and the UNSW Water Research Laboratory with the aim of reducing oyster farm closures by better understanding the impact of sewage overflows on oyster harvesting.
The dye being used is Rhodamine WT which is a fluorescent red in colour and is commonly used to understand the transport of pollution in rivers, estuaries or the ocean.
The experiment is being conducted by the Water Research Laboratory and will provide a better idea of how sewage might mix and dilute once in the water.
The laboratory has conducted nine similar experiments across NSW between October 2022 and August 2023.
Not only is the dye non-toxic to aquatic ecosystems but it only remains visible for a couple of hours following its release and does not stain boats or vessels that happen to pass through it.
This research will help authorities understand the potential exposure of oyster leases to sewage overflows and to help develop a decision support matrix to guide them in handling oyster industry closures following overflow events.
