Low-level toxic contamination reaching Kirra Beach from Coolangatta Creek on the southern Gold Coast will prompt signage urging people not to swim in the area.
Councillor Gail O’Neill said initial testing at Coolangatta Creek early last year revealed the contaminant in "very low levels", which was later confirmed by Queensland Health.
"We have done extra sampling around the creek and [there are] still low levels but we feel, the catchment management guys feel, it is necessary to put up a sign at the outlet where the creek does flow onto the beach there, recommending no swimming or fishing where the outlet is," she said.
Cr O’Neill said the sign would not explain why people should avoid swimming or fishing in that area.
But she said most people swam in the ocean — where swimming would still be allowed — rather than in the creek outlet.
The Coolangatta Creek catchment runs through the Gold Coast Airport precinct and includes the nearby suburbs of Tugun, Bilinga, Coolangatta and Kirra.
Last year, it was revealed the Federal Government’s aviation safety body Air Services had used a firefighting foam containing PFAS at the airport.
Air Services was warned of the chemical’s possible health and environmental risks in 2008, but continued to use the toxic foam until 2010.
"This was done in response to information provided by a member of the community indicating that PFAS may be present in groundwater at that location," an EHP spokesperson said in the statement.
"There are people there who use the bore water because it is free and it is clear and it is clean, they use it top up their swimming pools, to water their vegie gardens and some people drink from the hose," she said.