Millions of litres of raw sewage have flowed into the waters off Wellington’s picturesque south coast beaches since the breakdown of the Moa Point facility on February 4.
The city’s south coast beaches were closed – but on Wednesday, Andrew Little, along with Wellington Water, announced people could return to the beaches and swim near the shore on the south coast.
Mind you, they also advised people to check the latest safety information before taking the plunge, because conditions were changeable.
To mark the announcement, Little took a dip at Lyall Bay, declaring after his swim that, “It is safe to swim and we want people to come back.”
“Good, good, refreshing,” he said, “Just what you want on Wellington’s south coast.”
After serving as a member of Parliament for 12 years and breathing the air in a debating chamber where muck is flung daily, of course, Mayor Little would have found the water comparatively savoury.
Not so the pollution police. Two days on, Land Water Aotearoa (LAWA) declared the water quality at Lyall Bay “unsuitable”
To be declared unsuitable, LAWA says the site has a high health risk and is unlikely to meet national water quality guidelines for swimming.
Other beaches along Wellington’s south-east coast also had their water quality declared unsuitable at that time.
The environmental disaster resulted from an electrical failure which flooded the Moa Point wastewater treatment plant, destroying 80% of the equipment.
Initially, raw sewage was being pumped directly out of a five-metre pipe near a beach at Tarakena Bay. The last we heard, most sewage is being sent 1.8km offshore in the Cook Strait, after being screened for large objects such as tampons and wet wipes.
While Aucklanders might crow at Wellington’s discomfort, let’s not forget that early last December sewage overflows from thunderstorms adversely impacted water quality at beaches across their central city. Swimmers were warned to stay out of the Waitematā – or risk a nasty bug.
The beach was one of 13 to be marked black by Auckland Council, denoting a wastewater overflow.
Dozens more were marked red, meaning poor water quality.
Thunderstorms had filled Auckland’s wastewater infrastructure to the brim and spilled out into the harbour.
Down south, the Christchurch City Council has been investigating the merits of pumping millions of litres of screened and chlorinated sewage into the ocean each day in an effort to mitigate the putrid stench coming from Bromley’s damaged sewage treatment plant.
The council was last week hit with an abatement notice after Canterbury Regional Council received more than 4500 complaints about the stink in the past month.
The plant was damaged by fire in 2021 and the smell of sewage has wafted over the eastern parts of the city since then, but has been noticed in the central city and been markedly worse this year.
The council said about 25-30 percent of the city’s sewage would be partially treated and mixed with chlorine before bypassing the treatment ponds and being diverted directly to the ocean.
The council did not confirm the volume of sewage destined for the ocean under the plan, but its own website stated 185 million litres flow through the Bromley plant every day.
Oh, and let’s not forget the million-dollar deal struck after another sewage overflow hit under-strain oyster farmers north of Auckland.
A power surge tripping pumps at Warkworth sent about 1200 metres of wastewater overflowing, with about half of that thought to have gone into the Mahurangi River.
That resulted in an almost month-long halt on oyster harvesting. One farmer said he had to dump 60,000 oysters in a week.
The settlement involving short-term relief was agreed to between Aquaculture New Zealand, the Oyster Industry Association and Watercare.
Aquaculture New Zealand said the deal gave immediate relief but it would still be chasing financial settlement for total losses, while demanding systemic changes.
Local oyster farmers say they have been battling against sewage issues for seven years.
Too many Kiwis who want to go for a swim or participate in other water sports are battling against those issues, too.
Mayor Little’s Parliamentary experience perhaps has equipped him better than others to deal with crap and stench.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE. - where this article was sourced.
Mind you, they also advised people to check the latest safety information before taking the plunge, because conditions were changeable.
To mark the announcement, Little took a dip at Lyall Bay, declaring after his swim that, “It is safe to swim and we want people to come back.”
“Good, good, refreshing,” he said, “Just what you want on Wellington’s south coast.”
After serving as a member of Parliament for 12 years and breathing the air in a debating chamber where muck is flung daily, of course, Mayor Little would have found the water comparatively savoury.
Not so the pollution police. Two days on, Land Water Aotearoa (LAWA) declared the water quality at Lyall Bay “unsuitable”
To be declared unsuitable, LAWA says the site has a high health risk and is unlikely to meet national water quality guidelines for swimming.
Other beaches along Wellington’s south-east coast also had their water quality declared unsuitable at that time.
The environmental disaster resulted from an electrical failure which flooded the Moa Point wastewater treatment plant, destroying 80% of the equipment.
Initially, raw sewage was being pumped directly out of a five-metre pipe near a beach at Tarakena Bay. The last we heard, most sewage is being sent 1.8km offshore in the Cook Strait, after being screened for large objects such as tampons and wet wipes.
While Aucklanders might crow at Wellington’s discomfort, let’s not forget that early last December sewage overflows from thunderstorms adversely impacted water quality at beaches across their central city. Swimmers were warned to stay out of the Waitematā – or risk a nasty bug.
The beach was one of 13 to be marked black by Auckland Council, denoting a wastewater overflow.
Dozens more were marked red, meaning poor water quality.
Thunderstorms had filled Auckland’s wastewater infrastructure to the brim and spilled out into the harbour.
Down south, the Christchurch City Council has been investigating the merits of pumping millions of litres of screened and chlorinated sewage into the ocean each day in an effort to mitigate the putrid stench coming from Bromley’s damaged sewage treatment plant.
The council was last week hit with an abatement notice after Canterbury Regional Council received more than 4500 complaints about the stink in the past month.
The plant was damaged by fire in 2021 and the smell of sewage has wafted over the eastern parts of the city since then, but has been noticed in the central city and been markedly worse this year.
The council said about 25-30 percent of the city’s sewage would be partially treated and mixed with chlorine before bypassing the treatment ponds and being diverted directly to the ocean.
The council did not confirm the volume of sewage destined for the ocean under the plan, but its own website stated 185 million litres flow through the Bromley plant every day.
Oh, and let’s not forget the million-dollar deal struck after another sewage overflow hit under-strain oyster farmers north of Auckland.
A power surge tripping pumps at Warkworth sent about 1200 metres of wastewater overflowing, with about half of that thought to have gone into the Mahurangi River.
That resulted in an almost month-long halt on oyster harvesting. One farmer said he had to dump 60,000 oysters in a week.
The settlement involving short-term relief was agreed to between Aquaculture New Zealand, the Oyster Industry Association and Watercare.
Aquaculture New Zealand said the deal gave immediate relief but it would still be chasing financial settlement for total losses, while demanding systemic changes.
Local oyster farmers say they have been battling against sewage issues for seven years.
Too many Kiwis who want to go for a swim or participate in other water sports are battling against those issues, too.
Mayor Little’s Parliamentary experience perhaps has equipped him better than others to deal with crap and stench.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE. - where this article was sourced.
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