Councils unite to make Yarra River swimmable by 2050

Key points

• Four Melbourne councils and Melbourne Water are pushing to make the Yarra River swimmable by 2050. City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece said cities such as Paris, Berlin and Copenhagen have cleaned up their waterways.
• He described the project as at least a 10-year task requiring upgraded water infrastructure and filtration. The river is currently affected by animal faecal matter, litter and petrochemicals.
• The project has not yet been costed, and designated swimming zones are planned once restoration measures are in place.