Island Bay reopens - water quality judged safe

Island Bay Beach has reopened today after water-quality testing has established that the pollution that closed the beach yesterday has dissipated.

Wellington City Council erected ‘beach closed’ signs yesterday and urged people to stay clear of the water after routine water-quality monitoring found that the presence of enterococci – an indicator of microbiological pollution, including sewage – was at a level that could cause a health hazard. Further water-quality sampling has since found that the levels have rapidly returned to safe levels.

The Council reopened the beach today following consultation with Regional Public Health staff.

City Council Infrastructure Planning Manager Maria Archer says the likely source of the contamination was tracked to a broken private sewer pipe servicing a block of flats in Dee Street, that was repaired immediately after the fault was located. Council engineers were continuing to check sewer mains and other infrastructure in the area to check for leaks.

ENDS

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