MEDIA RELEASE
4 February 2004
Beach water quality warning signs come down at Mission Bay but remain up elsewhere
Tests done yesterday of beach water quality give Mission Bay the all clear. Therefore there is no longer a need for
warning signs to be up at Mission Bay.
Warning signs will remain at Okahu Bay, Kohimarama Beach and St Heliers until test results fall within the guidelines
for beach water quality set by the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Health.
Test results recorded yesterday exceeded the beach water quality warning level of 280 enterococci/100ml with Okahu Bay
at 823 enterococci/100ml and St Heliers at 2187 enterococci/100ml results and Kohimarama beach at 253 enterococci/100ml.
Auckland City will continue to monitor beach water quality on a daily basis. The test results for all Auckland city
beaches can be accessed anytime by calling 0800 SAFESWIM (0800 72 33 79), or by visiting the Auckland City Safeswim
website at www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/safeswim.
As a general rule, people should NOT swim for 48 hours after heavy rainfall because stormwater and wet weather sewerage
overflows are the two main sources of beach water pollution at urban beaches. Local streams may also not be safe after
heavy rain.
Ends